In this world of tweeting, gramming, pinning, liking and all other virtual-ings, you guys have heard the cautionary voice more than once. People are always warning against putting too much personal content online and the impact it could have on you personally. I’m not here to tell you that posting obscene images of yourself is dangerous to the reputation you hold among your peers and parents (you should know that), but the dangers it presents to you professionally. Companies that are big on the recruitment scene are also getting big into the social media scene. I used to post on my companies Facebook page, and I know a Twitter, LinkedIn and now an app also exists. You may think that these companies don’t have the time to search each candidate’s name online to see what pops up, but the truth is when a company chooses a select group of students to pursue for employment, they find the resources to do all the investigating they need. Here a few guidelines for managing your social media presence before, during and after recruitment season:
-This one is obvious, but beware of your profile picture(s). We all have photos of amazing nights out with friends, football tailgates and general shenanigans, but use your fancy security settings to keep those things more private. Your last keg stand competition shouldn’t be the first impression anyone gets of you
-Avoid bad mouth talking. And I’m not just talking curse words. Avoid talking negatively about people, places and most of all, jobs. Nobody likes a complainer and no company will want to risk being the next topic of your Facebook tantrum
-Keep an eye on what other people put on your social media sites. I know, this one is annoying. It shouldn’t be your responsibility what gets posted on your wall, but you are who you associate with and companies will take notice of your social circle
-Let some professionalism shine through. I know that LinkedIn is dedicated to this, but it’s also nice to see what groups and networks you belong to in other social circles. Like I mentioned above, many companies are in the social media scene so make an effort to get connected
-Use your best judgment. If a picture/post/article/anything is questionable to you, just remove it. Put it on your computer for future reference if it’s meaningful to you but inappropriate for the public. It’s really not worth the risk
Now back to sharing, playing, publishing, and maybe even some networking!
