Should your "online" reflect your "offline"?

If you're a Gen Zer, you know that you can't just ate it offline, and be done with your success. You have to have solid online presence.

I am certainly the wrong generation to debate what exactly is the good online presence (although I hope that those who are two generations younger than me will do so in comments - hint hint!), but from networking POV, you've got to follow up with your online persona if you want to gain any credit with the young generation.

Now, exactly how you come across online is a different matter... Even for us, the ancient Gen Xers, let alone the Boomers, there are few things that evoke more irritation that someone who is "delighted to announce" or "humbled to share". For everyone's sake, people, just talk like you do in real life!

However, it is the alternative that presents a problem. How are we supposed to let others know that we did well? That we have won an award? That we are recognised professionally?

That we ATE IT, you know. Because surely our online success should greatly outshine our real-life success - that is the point of the social media. Right?

That was a rhetorical question. I am not sure that this is correct, because the one thing that Gen Z are particularly sensitive to is the lack of authenticity.

Authenticity means that we share our achievements online in the same way in which we share them offline: "If you would have told me 5 years ago when I was starting this project, that we'd be awarded the GOAT Award for the Best in the Industry, I would've laughed in your face. But here we are - and I am as amazed, as I am overjoyed. And I could not help but share this news with you". Something like that. Well, you get the gist.

In short, authenticity between your online and your offline personas is key when #Connecting with Gen Z.