Social Media and the College Student

Having spent my entire working life in the career services and staffing area –I try to pride myself on my ability to be open minded and innovative. While I still use AOL and until recently, carried a phone the size of a small truck – I have joined the forces of social media and spend as much time on LinkedIn as others might tweeting or updating the FB page. What does Social media mean to you, the college student, and how will your activity on various social media sites impact your future? Let’s get strategic about this.

Who are you talking to and what are you saying?

Tweeting your weekend plans or recent break-up is fine if your handle is not also connected to a LinkedIn page. Do you want the same company who tweeted an opening for an internship to read about your miserable recent break-up (“hmmmm…maybe this is not the right time to schedule an interview with this candidate??”) What language are you using in these tweets – are your frequent posts professional or are they equivalent to a FB page rant about a party you were not invited to? Remember your audience is wider than you can imagine and the virtual world is as far-reaching as it is permanent.

What do your posts and conversations say about you? Employers are everywhere.

It was not long ago when a young, bright PR Professional made an offcolor comment on an airplane and by the time she landed so did her career. Are you careful with your opinions and views of the world – should every thought in your head be public or can you edit some of your emotional responses to insure you are not offending people you don’t even know?

Do you sound engaged? Can the world see your passions – do you have a mission tied up in your posts that suggest to the world where you might want to be employed? What can you do to make each sentence you express be relevant and assist you in your overall mission?

Read yourself the way others would – would you want to hire you?

Take a good look at your social media presence in all platforms. Can your grandmother view your FB page? Would she be embarrassed? Would you be? What pictures are visible? What do your pictures say about the person you are? What are they suggesting? Should your FB page be private and is this the time to ask your friends to remove some of the pictures of you that would be viewed as less than favorable??

*Organizations hire Social Media experts to troll social media in order to “find” as well as “eliminate” potential candidates for their positions.

What is your twitter handle? Would you be able to share it with a group of people who you are interested in impressing?

What does your LinkedIn page say about you? Are you smiling in your picture – professionally posed? Is the profile robust and interesting – does it make an impact more than a resume would? It should!

If an employer navigated the virtual world and landed on your FB page would they turn away in horror or message you an interesting query – would they friend you or run?

Social Media is a tool; using this tool correctly is vital to your future success and professional presence. It is a large and wonderful arena you are about to enter – arm yourself with the skills and persona necessary to impress. Google yourself and see where you stand – then straighten yourself up – adjust your social media presence – and stand that much taller!