After facebook rapidly became the fastest growing and most popular website online, Google tried to introduce a similar concept for Internet users with a Google account, Google plus which is abbreviated as g+. Since Gmail is probably the most widely used email address in the world, it was hoped that all these Gmail users would create Google plus or g+ account, for communication, networking and other features found in facebook.
Today though a large number of Gmail users, especially those with a Tech/IT background, have g+ accounts, it is still not as popular as facebook online. However, it can be used by both students in the tech sector like IT, engineering as well as organizations in the educational sector for finding information, networking, recruitment, business purposes, and identity verification.
1. Identity verification
One of the biggest advantages of using g+ is identity verification. Since the user has to use his or her Google account for logging in, the account will probably be tied to the Gmail account of the user. The Gmail account will have correspondence with a large number of people, both personal as well official. The personal correspondence can be used to verify the identity of the individual to a very great extent, as the friends and relatives of a particular person are likely to be unique. The Gtalk ids also are an indication of the contacts. Hence a g+ profile, like a facebook or LinkedIn profile can be used for verifying the identity.
2. Networking
The g+ profile can be used for networking, to find people with similar interests or experienced people who can give the necessary advice regarding the various higher education options available. A student can use the g+ profile to find others who are interested in studying the same college, or are already studying in the same school or college. This can be used to pool resources for finding information, negotiating a better deal or just traveling together to the college after getting admission to the college.
3. Information
A connection can be made using the g+ profile to find out the real information about the conditions in the particular college, before applying for admission to the college, or even joining the college after getting admission. Often it is difficult to find out the real information about a college, especially if it is not very well known or low profile.
Due to reputation management firms, only positive information about many colleges is available online, and many students may find out about the lack of resources or other disadvantages only after getting admission. The lack of resources could include trained faculty, lab equipment, hostel facilities or tolerance and encourage of extreme ragging both while completing the course or even twenty years after graduation from the college. Based on this information the student can take a decision according to his or her personal goals.
4. Recruitment
One of the main reasons why students spend time and money studying in a college is to get a good job of their choice, and the G+ profile can be used to contact potential recruiters to find if any opportunities exist. This can also be used for students undergoing internship or summer training to find suitable organizations which are looking for interns and trainees. Similarly recruiters, placement agencies, head hunting firms and companies can find students to be hired as interns, or even fresh graduates from a particular college to be hired as entry level employees using the g+ profile.
5. Business purposes
Increasingly many higher educational institutions are operated as commercial enterprises and are privately funded. Like any organization, the focus is on making a profit, by getting the maximum number of students to enroll in the college. Hence the g+ profile can be used for marketing, to contact students who may be interested in joining the college, or educational consultants who provide career advice to students. It can be used for hiring suitable faculty for teaching in the college either on a full time basis or as a guest lecturer. Like any organization, lots of resources are needed for operation, so vendors can contacted to get the best deals for the school or college using the g+ profile.
it was useful for me and my family