Internet | Do you manage your technology or does it manage you?

By Masha du Toit

If you are interested in this topic, take a look at our University of Cape Town Internet Super-User course.

It is hard to ignore the impact of new technology on our professional lives.  Some of us are excited by change.  Others adapt more grudgingly.  Whether we welcome it or not, new technology has profoundly altered the workplace.  But how much of this change has been a conscious decision?  After two decades of the Internet Revolution – isn’t it time to reflect on your use of technology to advance your professional goals?

Can you keep up with the pace of change? What are the consequences if you don’t – and what are the benefits if you do?

“Those who do not appreciate how the technologies that define their world work, are in danger of being controlled by them.” - Bill Thompson, Journalist BBC.

Are you getting the most out of your online tools? You probably use the Google search engine. But do you know how to construct an effective search query to save time and increase the value of your research? Do you know how to use search operators and keywords, or apply the precision instruments offered by the Google Advanced Search options?  If not, you are only using a small part of the true power of Google. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

What are you missing out on? There are a wealth of professional online tools – in many cases for free - that can help you work more effectively: 
•    Do you know about cloud computing? 
•    Have you taken advantage of the Mobile Internet? 
•    Are you using the free professional tools in Google Apps, Google Calendar, Google News and iGoogle?
•    What about online collaboration tools such as Google Docs or Wikis?
•    Are you aware of professional potential of LinkedIn, Yola or Twitter? 
•    Can you keep track of online information with Delicious and Google Reader?

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing - The very availability of online information can be a trap to the unwary.  How often do you check the “facts” you found online that you use in your presentations or reports?  Do you know how to evaluate the reliability of online information? 

Are you aware of your “first impression”? Trying to get a new job? Or colleagues checking you out? Another example of the importance of keeping on top of the latest developments in the online world is your “Google CV”, or what people can find out about you by searching online.

“Search engines and social media sites now play a central role in building one’s identity online,” said Mary Madden, lead author of the Pew report on Online Reputation Management. According to this report, a growing number of internet users (46% at the time of the latest report) search online to find information about people from their past.  

According to the Pew report, it has become commonplace for potential employers to search for information on prospective employees, and for employed users to search for information about co-workers, professional colleagues or business competitors. Make sure you do your search before employing someone new! 

Do you know how to manage your online reputation for your company or in your personal capacity, or are you relying on chance to protect you?

Whether you are helped on hindered by technology depends on your skills in using it. And what is more – learning new skills changes the way you think about the world. Can you afford to be complacent about your technical literacy?

After all, as Abraham Maslow said, “If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” 

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution license.