THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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MONDAY FEBRUARY 10,2014
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JAZMINE POLK
How to: clean up social media
entertain@kansan.com
Wake up, tweet. Go to class, Snapchat. Go to lunch, scroll Instagram. Study in the library, browse Pinterest.
Social media has become part of the daily routine. In fact, you're probably scrolling your Twitter timeline and watching cat vines as you read this article. However, this is not a "social media is ruining our lives" article. This article is about how social media is affecting your job search, because graduating with a degree and getting a job is our ultimate goal...right?
Many would be surprised that social media can actually help you find and get a job. According to Mashable.com, many employers are using "social recruiting," which means companies are looking for potential job candidates on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Senior psychology major, Austin Lentz, said that he used Facebook to ask his friends about available jobs in the area.
"A lot of people have bad things to say about social media, but it can be helpful because you can post one thing to over thousands of people in a matter of seconds," Lentz said. "I think using social media for finding jobs is very convenient and it makes sense because it's something we use every day."
However, the convenience of using social media for your job search can have negative effects too. If you can find jobs on those popular websites, those jobs can also find you. Even if you don't use social media to find your job, employers are still looking at your profiles to see what kind of person you are. If an employer searches your name on Facebook and sees that your profile picture is you shirtless doing a keg stand outside The Hawk, you might not get that second interview, so it is important to keep your media clean.
Edited by Katie Gilbaugh
Use this check list to start cleaning up your social media use
Privacy
A lot of social media sites give you the option to make your profile private so that only friends can view your photos and information.
Delete, Delete, Delete
Before you begin your job search, go through all of your media pages (including that old Myspace page) and delete anything that would make your grandma cringe.
Post With Caution
Now that you are entering the workforce, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard when you post information. This means no more wild party pics or late night Twitter rants, because you never know who is watching. Think before you post.
Watch the Company You Keep
According to the Staffing Resource Group (sgr-us.com) employers are not just looking at your profiles, but they are looking at your friend's profiles, too. We've all heard the saying "birds of a feather flock together", which basically means that your friends are a reflection of you. Make sure you are friendling the right people.
Personal vs. Professional
If it is absolutely killing you to delete that keg stand picture, another option you have is to keep a private personal profile and a public professional profile. Keep your online personas split so that your followers are happy and your prospective employers are happy.
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