Social Networking During the Job Hunt

As a graduating senior, I am currently in the state of panic known as," I need a job."  I get it, the economy is bad.  But fortunately, one thing that will set me apart is my lack of dirt on social media sites and personal accounts. 

You may think all your privacy settings have you protected, and you may be right.  But wouldn't it be a shame if you interviewed for a position you LOVED and were then told that your Facebook page kept you from getting it? Unfortunately, this is the case with many young people attempting to enter the workforce. 

Remember the girl who had one of her Facebook photos pasted into a greeting card? Yeah, I hope she has excellent entrepreneurial skills because she's going to be needing them. 

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the Do's and Don'ts of social media and your career. For some, these may be obvious things like don't display foul language or plaster inappropriate half-naked photos of yourself (even if you consider it to be a joke).  You may not be laughing if you lose a job opportunity over it.  Another important aspect that goes hand-in-hand with this is monitoring what others post on your social media site. This may be a comment on a blog, a picture of you completely smashed. You get the idea.  Know who your 'friends' are.

After reading the article, I sort of felt the need to 'trim the fat,' especially on my Facebook.  They say not to get too personal, and never ever gripe about a current or former employer.  That's, well, a bad idea all around.  Although I hold my cards pretty close, sometimes I tend to post things about my boyfriend, friends, etc.  Perhaps, I am overly sentimental.  Nevertheless, you can't tell the whole world about your life. 

Although we hear about the 'Don'ts,' it is also essential to use your social media to your advantage.  Update your sites with relevant information and things related to your business or employable skills.  Show your involvement in the community, and always post ideas that are thought through and rationally analyzed.  Demonstrating, that as an employee, you will bring some skill or desire to the organization that would be rare. Use it to your advantage. 

According to the article on the sentinal source, one third of job applicants are declined based solely on information found on social media.  Don't let yourself become a statistic!