With everyone either back to school or getting there immediately after Labor Day, this is a great time to remind all students, college and high school, YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE FOLLOWS YOU. No. I am not shouting at you in text format, but I am making a point. If you (or your friends) blog it, post it on Facetime, Twitter, Instagram, or any social network, you are vulnerable to future employers, mortgage officers and credit opportunities, college admissions, and the list goes on. Be aware and be proactive.
How many hours a month do you spend on the Internet? How much time are you using it for education, entertainment, work, purchasing services or products, or connecting with friends and family? The average American spends 32 hours per month on the Internet. A tidbit I learned on a webinar hosted by Juicy Results, a terrific web marketing company. And as I thought about that number, I realized I spend that much time per week and more on the Internet! If the nature of jobs and careers in the future is changing, then this is important information to know.
Do you have a social media presence? What does it look like? Universities and employers alike are using social media to “check out” their candidates. Everything from your email address and voice message to your pictures and comments on the Internet are available for public scrutiny and feed into your public image or “social entity.”
Just as different people have different perspectives on issues, different generations view and address issues differently. In regards to social media, there is a great article and some interesting data that specifically address the issues of school and job impact. Click here to read the article and be sure to scroll down to table 2B and note the difference between Baby Boomers and Echo Boomers. While an Echo Boomer may see nothing wrong with a particular message posted on a social media site, the individual responsible for your admission to college or hiring you may be a Baby Boomer and the posting is offensive.
Now ask yourself the question again and consider who may be on the other side of the computer monitor checking you out. What does your “social entity” look like? What do you need to do to create the kind of social image that characterizes you but doesn’t jeopardize future opportunities? Contact me if you need assistance or want more information.