Diary of a DAAP Kid: Am I a Young Professional?

With the thought of Real Life and the Real World looming so quickly over my head, I have continued to deepen my social networking roots as I test the waters of Cincinnati's potential hiring ground for June 2010. For me, this goes beyond brushing up my LinkedIn profile.

Over the last year I've been priviledged to gain access to the incredible network of bloggers and Twitter folk in the greater Cincinnati area, and across the country. Forging these connections has led me to great opportunites - I've gotten freelance work, office furniture, heck, today I even learned a little bit about the house I currently live in!

A lot of people my age do not understand or appreciate the value of social networking in a professional context. In fact, I get mocked regularly (in a loving way of course) by my friends who just don't get Twitter. It's okay guys. I love you too, and so do the aliens that live in my phone and tell me where the best places to eat in Lexington are.

The point is, all my tweeting has finally paid off! This Thursday I get to be a part of HYPE Cincinnati's social media team for their big Bold Fusion 2010 event.

It's a conference-style event for Young Professionals, by Young Professionals, designed to get us thinking in different ways about our life, professional and personal. So then the first obvious question is... am I (a college student getting ready to graduate) a Young Professional? Wikipedia says it generally refers to a young person not in school who is employed in a profession or white-collar occupation. Well, crap.

I'm still in school... barely. But in reality, between working 6 jobs over the last 5 years in my field of study as a paid professional intern, I've got more experience than many recent graduates who have started their first "real" job. So, yes. Pretty sure I've got the whole YP thing covered.... except for maybe the whole power suit thing. Obviously I don't have it all figured out yet, and I'm really excited for Bold Fusion to help show me the way and connect me with awesome people!

If you haven't registered yet, and you want to... you totally should! It's only $35 for college students!! You can register online now or by calling (513) 579-3111.

If you're coming to Bold Fusion on Thursday, or if you're not and want to follow along, be sure and use the hashtag #cincyhype and follow along with my thoughts and ramblings during the course of the afternoon. AND please come find me and say hi!!