I’m sure many of you have got Facebook pages, a Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+ account as well as being active on Tumblr and Pinterest. But I’m not sure if you know that everything we do online is in the public domain, which means: everyone and anyone can search for you online. And when I mean anyone I also mean your potential employer. I know we all have the usual drunken photos of nights out from uni and we’ve all ranted about that awful assignment and that annoying lecturer, but it is important to remember the impact of this when job hunting. And that’s quite easy to do. There are the following options:
- Keep your profile private – the settings available in all of these social media platforms allow you to select who can see your posts, the ones you’re tagged in and so on and so forth. So it’s not that difficult to just press some buttons and voilà! only your closest friends can see your posts while the public can only see your profile picture but nothing else.
- Maintain a level of professionalism – start saying goodbye to all of those inappropriate photos and posts and delete them. Just. Like. That. You have to realise that your life will start changing from now on. So why not start educating yourself on how to look good in the eyes of potential employers by starting to stand out from the crowd and showing interest in the field you want to work rather than in the latest LAD Bible or 9gag post.
All of these social media platforms are pathways to use to look well informed in the public eyes. If you have not already started your own blog or one as part of your university courses it’s time for you to do so. This is a brilliant way for you to show off your writing skills, creativity and knowledge as well as presenting all the work you have done during your uni years. You can upload all of your presentations and discuss your ideas and inspiration and thus create a portfolio that future employers can see.
A regularly updated blog shows that you are an organised person, with good time management skills and strong commitment to a project. Prospective employers will be able to view your skills as well as gauge your personality, to see what you enjoy and how you express your thoughts. Also, social media is a brilliant and easy way to connect with people who have similar interests as well as to promote your blog posts. I’ve had the chance to connect with people interested in advertising as well as using my blog as a portfolio for prospective jobs.
Good luck and keep an eye on your accounts!
Worcester Student Life 