It’s hard to deny the fact that social media is taking over America. In fact, most Collegiates are juggling multiple profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and more.
As college students on the prowl for internships and jobs, it’s crucial to monitor the appropriateness of your social media sites. Here are three tips on how to professionalize your social media site while still showing your spunk.
1. Illegal is illegal
We live in an age where the majority of people have cameras on their cell phones. As Collegiates, we love taking pictures wherever we go whether its at a frat party, campus bar or just out-and-about. However, you must be smart when it comes up uploading inappropriate or illegal behavior in pictures.
“Students don’t want future employers to see pictures of them with alcohol, especially when they are not of age to be drinking,” Jess Kogan, junior in advertising, said. “Employers don’t want to see you engaging in illegal activities, because they want to hire the best and smartest people for their companies.”
When taking pictures at bars and parties, be aware of your surroundings. Even if you’re not drinking, avoid taking pictures with alcohol in your hand or in the background, or anything illegal at that. This way, you can ensure that these pictures won’t end up on your Facebook profile. To assure professionalism, go ahead and delete pictures of yourself surrounded by red Solo cups. Quick tip: don’t blur alcohol cans or bottles in your pictures. It doesn’t take a genius to know what’s behind the blur.
2. Check your privacy settings
Although not true in extreme circumstances, once something is posted as public on the Internet, it will forever be in cyberspace. It is a must for Collegiates looking for internships or employment to check the privacy settings on their social media pages.
“I try to stay up to date on the new privacy features that are available on all the social media sites since it seems like everything is changing all the time,” Haley Musgrave, senior in advertising, said. “I usually check my settings once a month just to make sure nothing has changed.”
Facebook allows each user to customize who can see each post, picture, comment etc. Utilize this tool! “I try to make sure that potential employers won’t see what is on my wall or any pictures besides on my cover photos,” Musgrave said. “I don’t have anything crazy on Facebook, but I would just prefer for them not to see my entire profile.”
Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and most other social media sites also allow you to put your profile on a private setting so you can control who has access to your profile.
3. When in doubt, take it down
It really is as easy as it sounds. If you are questioning a Facebook status, tweet, Tumblr post or anything on social media, just don’t post it. “I think, if my mother wouldn’t want to see this post or picture, then I should probably take it down,” Kogan said.
If a controversial post, picture or tweet may come back to haunt you someday, just click delete. The instant gratification of likes or favorites won’t be worth it when you’re having trouble finding a job because of it. Once something on the Internet, you truly never do know who has access to it, even if it is set as private.
As Kogan puts it, “Today, we all really have to be cognizant of our image on social media profiles because this has become a new factor when determining whether or not you are hired or passed over in an interview.” Even if it’s just your image, it may be crucial when it comes down to candidates.
Before searching for internships or employment, it can be detrimental to your success if you don’t follow these three tips above: illegal is illegal; check your privacy settings; and when in doubt, take it down.