We have been told time and time again that it is important to keep social media and online accounts professional. Even when on break and not in the professional environment of college, it is important to make sure that your social media is still professional without taking away from your own personal touch.
Be tactical with your posts, pictures, and tweets, and make sure you are okay with a potential employer or recruiter seeing anything you are putting out there. Employers will research you online prior to hiring, so it is important that there is nothing questionable, inappropriate or illegal on your profile. A good rule to go by is, if you are questioning it, don’t post it.
Keep this in mind especially when considering those positions that require knowledge of social media or if your resume states that you are skilled with social media. Employers/recruiters will assume that you are active on these sites and will want to see your pages, even if your accounts are private. It is not uncommon for an employer to ask to see your accounts so they can understand what kind of presence you have online.
Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media
- Do express your opinions, but do so respectfully
- Do post pictures of you having fun with friends and family
- Stay active on social media
- Model good behavior
- Keep an eye out for posts and pictures you are tagged in
- Keep your profile positive and attempt to keep it reflective of your personality
- Don’t use obscene or nasty language in your posts
- Don’t get into “Twitter wars” and arguments with people online
- Don’t create posts related to illegal activities and avoid posts relating to alcohol, even if you are 21+
- Don’t feel like you cannot use social media just because your employer may be watching
- Don’t be excessively negative or portray yourself differently
- Don’t forget that even if you delete a post it is still online forever…(screenshots are also a possibility to keep in mind as well)
