Ever posted a pic of you and Mason (the infamous Maggie’s bouncer) for the world to see? Woken up to a long list of drunk tweets that you immediately regretted? Or instagramed that sloppy “besties” photo-op where your eyes weren’t quite as open as they should have been? Guilty as charged – we’ve all been there. While the world of smart phones and social media makes it very easy for us to keep all of our friends and acquaintances up-to-date on our wild college adventures, these technologies also make it all too easy to stain our reputations with the click of a button.
Need to clean up your online presence? Not to worry, Emory Collegiettes Melissa Black, a junior in the b-school, and Hannah Silverman, a sophomore English/Philosophy major, have got you covered. As previous student reps for a company called NetClarify, these girls are go-to sources for any college students concerned about what future employers/educators may find online.
According to a company press release, “NetClarify’s online reputation management tool pulls information from more than 100 social sites including Facebook and Twitter, the general Internet, criminal records, property records and public records to give students a well-rounded view of how they appear to employers. The tool collects information that you have publicly posted or that another source has posted about you, and then identifies which items will send up a red flag to employers.”
Read on to learn more about Hannah and Melissa’s experiences as student reps, and what advice they have for social media-obsessed Collegiettes!
HCE: How closely should people monitor their social media profiles?
H&M: People should monitor their social media profiles very closely and on an ongoing basis. Before students were nervous when their parents were on social media, but now their current/ future bosses and current/ future academic instructors are on these platforms, using daily updates and overall tone of profiles to decide if students will be a good fit for their company or advanced education programs. These decision makers are taking years of activities including photos, status updates and comments into consideration, therefore it would be wise to clean up any past content that could hinder a person’s reputation as well as to be more conscious of the things they post each day.
HCE: When is an appropriate time to consider what you publish online?
H&M: Every posting should be considered since a lot of people post their thoughts or opinions, usually in the heat of the moment when their emotions can get the best of them. These types of posts can turn off viewers who don’t agree with what was posted.
HCE: How can people from Emory get involved in NetClarify?
H&M: NetClarify provides a variety of reports on www.netclarify.com depending on the need of the student. The blog, located on the same site, features information from some of its founders, former deans, who have seen firsthand how students can be negatively affected by social media profiles. There are also posts on topics that help students prepare for future professional endeavors, as well as how to go about constantly ensuring that their social media profiles reflect a positive image.