With technological advances and the prevalence of smart phones in today’s times, it is no secret social media is a huge part of our society, particularly in the younger generations.
Because of the popularity of social media, employers often use it as a method of looking into potential employees. In many cases, any inappropriate content an employer may find can be enough to reduce your chances of employment.
As a result, we have more pressure on us than any previous generations to make sure our profiles, whether they are set as public or private, are clean and free of any material that could possibly shine a negative light on our self-image.
Examples of questionable material include: pictures, posts, or references consisting of slang, hand gestures, alcohol, tobacco or drug usage.
Before beginning a job search, Facebook, Twitter, and Instgram are social media outlets many people would automatically clean for any suspicious content.
However, websites such as Pinterest have also been used by employers to scope out potential employees. Something as simple or innocent as pinning an alcoholic drink recipe, even if one is above the legal drinking age, could prevent one from obtaining a position for his or her dream job.
Several on campus organizations require their members to maintain clean social media accounts. Still, it is ill-advised to wait until one decides to join a certain organization or begins job searching to make sure his or her social media profile is clean.
To prevent content found on social media from sabotaging a potential job opportunity, people will delete questionable material from their profiles. Another common method is to change the name that appears on their profiles so that employers cannot find them.
However, even after deleting material from a person’s profile, particularly pictures, once that material has been posted online, it may never be completely removed.
While changing one’s name on social media may make it more difficult for a potential employer to find him or her, it is still possible.
The best way to avoid this type of experience from happening is make sure inappropriate content is never placed, by you or a friend, on your social media profile to begin with. The most effective way to ensure this is by prohibiting your picture being taken where you may be involved with or demonstrating any questionable behavior.
Being respectable Auburn men and women, it is important to maintain a level a self-respect regardless of social media. If we don’t respect ourselves, then it becomes difficult for a potential employer to do so.
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