For the web session I am running later today for Level 3 and MA students, I thought it useful to share with everyone the different examples of student portfolio sites that we’ll be looking at.

It can go without saying (because it has already been said, by Martin Stabe, Mindy McAdams and the Iconoclast, amongst others)  that the transition between journalism student to journalist professional requires some form of online presence and marketing of the self.

What that looks like depends on what it is you want to do, and how much effort you’re going to put in. Do you run a blog, or launch a slick portfolio brochure? Do you open up to all your online presences (and show your reach and influence), or do you keep some hidden away (to hide your 4am shame).

To get us started, here are six (well, more than six) of the best examples of student journalist sites, portfolios and blogs to help you develop your own ideas of what it is you must develop during your student progression:

Blogs

Dave Lee (now BBC Internet editor, having just graduated)
Dave ran his blog all the way through his three year journalism degree, on the subject of… journalism. Question for you: do you have enough to say to run a regularly updated blog on the defined subject of your choice?

Jessica da Silva (student editor of the Alligator student newspaper and website)
Jessica became famous online for blogging about the redundancies made while she was on her work placement–she was attacked, praised, discussed by Jeff Jarvis and Jay Rosen… and has now made a huge number of journalism contacts for her future career. Question for you: are you blogging your work placements?

Meranda Writes (’I've been blogging two years now…’)
“I’m a reporter at a newspaper, eh hem, information center. • As a young girl I would leave our table at restaurants and walk up to strangers to say hello. • I began teaching myself HTML at age 10. • I picked journalism as a major expecting to fail. • My dream jobs are producing content for the NYTimes.com and writing for WIRED magazine. • I love what I do.” Question for you: do you love what you do? (And if you walk up to strangers and say hello, stop it!)

Holly Setter (writing about student life, politics, lectures…)
“As a way to prepare herself for the big time, Holly decided to start this blog where she fully intends to share her views on journalism, politics–in particular the upcoming election, school, and life in her free time. As free time is a bit scattered in her overscheduled college career, her peers should not be surprised to see her carting around her laptop to blog during water breaks at band rehearsal, while climbing the fifty-million stairs on the way to the Pleiad office to work on the newspaper, or even while flipping back and forth between her notes during lectures (SHHH! Don’t tell.).” Question: what are you doing to prepare for your ‘big time’?

Portfolios

Rachel Youens (multimedia journalist)
If you’re going to call yourself a multimedia journalist, you need to profile your multimedia work. A blog may not be the best way of doing this. Question: what are your strengths, what do you need to profile?

Brett Roegiers (recently graduated journalist)
I really like this portfolio site, but maybe that’s the obsessive compulsive in me that likes straight lines and square boxes. Either way, there is a massive wealth of work here, looks hugely impressive, and also a great choice of colours. Question: What is your personal publication plan for the next six months to fill a page like this?

Nick Trost (student journalist)
A great way to turn those ‘celeb holiday photos’ you’d normally send in to Loaded into a portfolio… Only joking Nick, you’ve made the ‘6 of the best’ for the simple and elegant site. Question: have you clicked on the apples yet? How cool is that…

Networks

Tommorow’s News, Tomorrow’s Journalists
This month’s question for the young journalists blogging network is “what have you done to build up your online brand”, posted by Greg Linch, who’s got a great personal site over at the LinchPen.

Twitter (’what are you doing right now…?’)
If you’re not using Twitter, then you’re not really using social media as a journalist. This is my twitter feed, and four of the first five are…. other journalists.

QUESTION: What networks are you a part of? What networks could you be a part of, or even start yourself?

GOOD THING: Most of these are American, so you’re not behind the tmes for UK students. But now is a good time to build your own web presence.