FANTASTIC post Jesse - couldn't agree more!

Agree 100% Nick - good post

Nick, you've touched on one of my pet peeves of the social media landscape today - people who refer to themselves as "social media ninjas" or "social media rockstars" or "social media gurus." Give me a break - that's fine to say it tongue-in-cheek with some friends, but to put it on business cards/LinkedIn profiles? Do you have any idea how much credibility you lose with titles like these when you're actually trying to make a change in an organization? Is that CIO of that government agency going to really entrust his organization's collaboration agency to a "ninja?"

The best "social media ninjas" are the ones who are using social media effectively to just be a kickass "analyst" or "public affairs officer." Sorry for the rant - this is just something that gets me every time :)

Lots of thoughts on this topic Alex, but I'll focus on one aspect - it's all about perception. In the social media world, I've seen people who have identified themselves as "students" get more respect and credibility due to the (wrong) perception that students know more about social media than the "greybeards" in the room. At the same time, I've seen "student" opinions get totally disregarded because "they don't know any better."

It's how you frame yourself - do you identify as a "student" or as something else? Of course, student is one role of many that you play. Sometimes, you'll play up that role, other times, it fades into the background. In the end, there are negative and positive connotations that come with any term. Depending on who I'm talking to, if I label myself a "contractor," my opinions are automatically discounted because I'm just trying to sell them something. Alternatively, with other people, that term resonates because I "bring a fresh perspective."

Your brand is like a prism. You're ultimately still you, but depending on the angle at which people look at you, they may see different facets of you that they may not have seen otherwise. That's why when we have to submit resumes for government proposals, we always revise the resume to focus on the aspects of a person's background that fits best with the proposal.

So yes, keep identifying yourself as a student, but don't let that label define you in all situations.