In today’s world having some sort of social networking account is as common as breathing. Millions of people across the globe are Facebook and Twitter users. Social networking makes it possible for us to communicate with friends and family across the country. We make new friends and gain new followers when sharing our likes and dislikes online with similar people. While the networking world has opened up a wide variety of new possibilities, it has also become a source of worry among job-seekers. According to an article in Macworld magazine, more than 50 percent of employers check a potential employee’s social networking websites. Her Campus Mizzou is here to help you stay in the clear on a couple of your websites.
Facebook is the most popular social networking site right now. In January Facebook had more than 150 million unique visitors per month, according to Compete.com. Posting pictures of your wild weekend might seem like something you should share on Facebook, but it could cost you your future job.
1. Avoid pictures you would not want your employer to see.
This is something I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of times, but I’m going to repeat it as well. Remember you are going to be representing a company one day. How you portray yourself on Facebook is how companies are going to see you. Companies want their business to be portrayed in a positive light. Your friend might think your drunken endeavors and crazy weekends are hilarious; however, your employer will not.
2. Stop profanity and racial or sexual commentary.
Obviously, racial and sexual comments are never OK to use. You want your employer to see the well-educated and intelligent person you are, so show that on your profile. Avoid cussing, quoting lyrics with foul language on your status or using racial or sexual slurs (even if you’re joking).
3. Don’t be afraid to de-tag photos or posts.
Nothing on the Internet really goes away, but you can at least try to make it disappear. De-tag yourself from harmful photos and distasteful comments. It’ll be worth it in the long run.
4. Remove yourself from certain Facebook groups and likes.
It’s time to stop liking “getting drunk” and stop joining groups that can harm how you’re depicted. First impressions are extremely important when getting a job so make yours a good one.
Twitter has rapidly grown into another important way of connecting with not only friends but politicians and celebrities also. Twitter-cleaning probably won’t be as strenuous as Facebook-cleaning, but there are still a couple of things you can do.
1. Edit your profile.
Go through your tweets and delete any you think may seem inappropriate. Your tweets show what your thinking or doing, so show your employer you are a positive and well spoken potential employee.
2. Stop following certain users.
Following @whitegirlproblems and @blackgirlproblems is probably not the best way to describe your daily complications. These accounts are stereotypical and somewhat racist. Like on Facebook, avoid racial and sexual slurs.
Employers have ways to find all your personal sites, including Tumblr. Tumblr is a great way to express your thoughts. Just don’t make it you public diary.
1. Be careful of what you post.
This is becoming repetitive, but remember what you post is a good portrayal of yourself. Before you post anything ask yourself, “Will this affect how employers look at me?”
2. Be mindful when you reblog.
Tumblr has every type of image you could possibly imagine. Avoid reblogging sexually explicit content or profane quotes because they can hurt your job search.
YouTube is one of the largest online video-sharing websites. Making an account takes less than five minutes and gives you the opportunity to upload your own videos. What you upload can damage your reputation.
1. Do not upload sexually explicit content or your alcohol and substance usage.
Let’s recall the Miley Cyrus salvia incident. You know the one because people are still talking about today. One video can ruin your entire reputation. Remember that what goes online, stays online. Don’t post anything you don’t want others, much less potential employers, to see.
2. Watch your comments on other videos.
Make sure what you write is clean and appropriate. Again, you are portraying your opinions online, so be careful how you show them to others.
3. Don’t favorite videos that might represent you in a negative light.
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t favorite videos that illustrate your opinions negatively.
The job search is strenuous and difficult. In today’s society, jobs are getting harder and harder to find. Don’t let your social networking get in the way of your potential future that you are working hard to achieve.
Sources: www.context.com
www.macworld.com
www.facebook.com
www.twitter.com
www.tumblr.com
www.youtube.com