“Yes, we know you are in college, but if you look like a sloppy mess [on Facebook], we aren’t going to trust that you’ll make it into work at 5:00 am,” said Carla Marie Monica, Producer for New York’s popular radio station, Z100.
Monica is a prime example of an employer that students need to keep in mind when carelessly posting inappropriate content on their social networking sites.
Every day, millions of people worldwide log into their social networking accounts for various reasons. Most people engage in the social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, for the entertainment and social value; however, some use them for business.
Those who access these sites for business reasons are promoting their products or companies with the easiest and free advertising approaches or, what students seem to overlook, looking up their future employees.
This raises eyebrows for many college students looking for internships during school, and careers after graduating.
Raunchy pictures, unnecessary jokes, and other inappropriate material, which are commonly found on the average college student’s Facebook or Twitter account, are beginning to be looked at more carefully by employers.
In recent years, social networking sites have been the source of problems for many athletes, some crowned Miss Americas, as well as numerous entertainers. Before beginning their careers, pictures were posted on social networking sites such as Facebook, which came back to haunt them.
Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps, broke numerous records in the summer 2008 Olympics; however, as pictures taken from Facebook surfaced of him in college smoking marijuana, his image was questioned. Though Phelps is still a competitive swimmer, his social media persona had caused a major bump in the road for him. This one example is similar to what students are now experiencing, as a result of what is on the Internet.
Though the chances of the average social network user becoming Miss America or becoming a record breaking Olympic gold medalist are slim to none, how will usage prior to looking for a job effect one’s chances of getting hired?
“Employers are looking, and some of them like myself, are your age and aren’t stupid.” Monica further explained, “We get the inside jokes, the abbreviations, and all of that stuff, we know what’s going on.” Monica, a recent graduate of Rutgers University in May 2010, understands where college students are at mentally considering she was there less than a year ago herself.
Will Hill, Monmouth University’s Assistant Dean of Career Services, does not believe in anything posted on the Internet being, in any sense, private.
“Anything that is posted on the Internet, is there forever,” he said. Hill jokingly recalled a conversation with a good friend of his who told him, “Just like true love lasts forever, everything posted on the Internet lasts forever.”
Working in his field for 25 years, Hill has been there through the evolution of the hiring process.
With the increase of social network usage, companies have gotten smarter and use this to their advantage. “Companies will now use social networking sites as a vetting tool for possible employees or interns to further get a look at who their applicant is in the social world.”
With the creation and popularity of social networking sites, employers can not only check up on their information, references, and criteria to see if they are accurate, they are also able to check up on their personal sites to get a perception of them. Somewhat comparable to a quick and easy background check.
Similar to Monica, Hill also mentioned the importance of what is posted on social networking sites.
“I know that what is perceived from looking at these sites may not be who and what the person is about,” Hill further explained, “but if an employer is checking up on a suited candidate and sees them in Cancun funneling a beer, they will think twice about hiring that person.”
Hill always advises students to be careful and aware of what is on their Facebook, Twitter, and any other social networking accounts. “If you are rejected from a job, you want to have the dignity of knowing you were not qualified, versus content that was posted on your site that was inappropriate.”
Unfortunately for students, no matter how hard this issue is fought, the facts will continue to remain the same.
Content posted on the Internet is public, regardless of how many ‘privacy settings’ available.
Businesses will find a way in. Once they have access, students must be prepared to be judged based on the content that is contained on their personal profile.
PHOTO COURTESY of motifake.com
