Most students around campus are constantly updating their statuses, uploading pictures, and commenting on their friends’ latest posts via the one website we all know and love – Facebook. It’s a source of the latest gossip involving your friends, acquaintances, and people you might not even know. You can know exactly what is going on in someone’s life by just clicking on their name and being connected to their page. But sometimes, privacy is a good thing, and even a necessity. Future employers are now beginning to look at Facebook for a source of who you really are before you get hired. So, if you’re looking for a job in the near future or you are beginning to prepare for the real world, here are some quick and easy tips that will help clean up your Facebook page:
Privacy Please
There are privacy settings on your page. Use them! Set your settings so that only your friends can view your profile, this will hide your profile from anyone you have not added as a friend. You can also change your settings so that certain photos are the only ones visible, like your profile photos, and same with posts, comments, and status updates. There is also a way to make it possible for people to not be able to find you when your name is searched. This will help your profile be safer from people you do not know and keep any unwanted visitors out.
Be Smart
Do not post things on Facebook that you wouldn’t feel comfortable with your grandparents seeing. Instead of updating your status with things like “I’m so drunk!” or “I’m gonna be so wasted tonight after going downtown.”, maybe update your status when you are baking cookies with your mom or reading a book to your little sibling. Everyone knows you will go out and have a great time, but it’s not a good thing for your future employers to see. It may give a bad impression and make you seem that you party all the time and are unreliable.
Keep It Classy
The pictures of you doing a keg stand are probably not a good thing to put on Facebook. It’s a fun time and a funny picture, but future employers might not find it as great as you do. Keep that private and hang it up in your room instead of making it public on Facebook. Post pictures of family events or dinner out with friends, and even the pictures of you having a cocktail with the girls are okay. Just make sure you keep it classy.
Monitor Your Profile
Not only are you in charge of what you put on your Facebook page, but you have complete control of what your friends post as well. When your friend posts something on your wall, make sure it’s acceptable and not something that can make you look bad. The post with the swearing and asking you to party with them five nights in a row are just as bad as the pictures of you doing beer bongs. If the posts your friends put on your wall are going to make you look bad, it may be a good idea to delete the post.
Hopefully these tips help you clean up your Facebook and keep it looking presentable for your future employers. Remember, what you put on Facebook is public and is on the Internet for everyone to see.
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