So collegiettes, let’s be honest here; we have all posted pictures from a night out where we look like we are having the time of our lives and enjoying every moment of our carefree youth.
As great as it is to portray yourself living life to the fullest, when it comes to jobs and internships, your boss would much rather see a picture of you with your family on Thanksgiving than with your best friends cheering you on as you dominate a keg stand. If you do have those pictures up, or want to market yourself in a more professional light, check out how to get started here:
Tip 1: FacebookAlthough Facebook can be made extremely private, your future boss could potentially have access to your profile. In this case, if you have pictures up holding a bottle of vodka/ can of beer while posing in your birthday suit (or something close to it), you may want to reconsider that choice. If you are tagged in pictures that you want to get deleted, simply ask whoever’s album you are tagged in to do so. And lastly, put up a profile picture and cover photo that is inviting and an accurate portrayal of the amazing individual you are. This way, in case an employer does look you up but doesn’t get to your actual timeline, they can see from those two simple photos that they should not be concerned about your social life affecting your work ethic.
Tip 2: TwitterTwitter is an amazing way to market yourself. Employers get a first hand look at the thoughts that run through your head on a daily basis. They also get to see what types of things you like depending on who you follow and what tweets you retweet or quote. The #1 thing to remember about Twitter is that no, it is not your diary. People do not need to know when you are using the bathroom, when you broke up with your significant other, or how much you despise a certain individual. On the other hand, Twitter can be a way to connect directly to a company and their employees or leaders, so that in case you decide you want to intern or work for them, you can be in the know.
Tip 3: InstagramIsn’t life all about the amount of likes you get? Yes and no. If you are trying to market yourself to a specific company, Instagram is an amazing tool that allows you to directly tag the company in your picture. This allows them to see who you are and what you have to offer. In addition, if you have a blog or website, you can easily connect the link into your bio to accompany and strengthen your photos. Hashtags are also a great tool. Just remember, if you are trying to market yourself and you make your Instagram public, your boss is not going to be #happy with a #tbt from last weeks bar crawl ladies, so just be mindful.
Tip 4: PinterestBelieve it or not, Pinterest can be used for more than finding recipes, the next seasons clothing you are going to buy, or simply a way to pass the time while waiting in line to get your morning coffee. Pinterest is an amazing way to show a more creative side of yourself by pinning your interests and categorizing them. You can easily showcase your Instagram photography or follow companies who pin their latest projects and events.
Tip 5: Connect All Social MediaIf you have cleaned up all of your profiles, and are ready to make them more professionally focused, the most effective way to do so is to connect all of your social media together. The name of the game here is connections. Just as it is extremely important to make a network of connections with potential employers, it is just as important to make a network connection of your social media to accompany your skill set.
At the end of the day collegiettes, college does go by fast and you do have to think of your future. You don’t have to swear off all social media and never get your photo taken, but just be smart about what you put out on the social media sphere. You never know how it could positively or negatively affect you.