By Caitlin McCaul | Staff Writer
According to the New York Times article “They Loved Your GPA Then They Saw Your Tweets,” by Natasha Singer, a person’s activity on social media can influence and even determine the outcome of important decisions in life, like applying to college.
Depending on what is posted on social media sites, the content can have a negative impact when trying to step away from the World Wide Web and into reality. But we’ve made it past the admissions process with our social media sites in tact. We’ve got nothing to worry about, right?
Actually, when applying for a job it is more common for an employer to search an applicant’s social media activity than it is for a college to do so. In fact, it is typically a part of the hiring process, Singer said.
According to a recent study conducted by CareerBuilder, there is certain information found on social media sites that prevent employers from hiring candidates. Such material includes inappropriate photos, evidence of drug or alcohol use, bad mouthing previous employers, discriminatory comments towards gender, sexuality, religion, or race, and lying about qualifications.
CareerBuilder also found, however, that online activity can have a positive impact on employers. Information that makes a candidate more attractive includes conveying a professional image, demonstration of a wide range of interests, great communication skills, creativity, and posts from other people on social media that display positive remarks about the applicant.
Adam Gingras, Assistant Director of the Office of Career Development, reinforced the importance of a conveying a respectful image online, confirming that employers do in fact use social media as a part of the hiring process.
“If you cannot brand yourself appropriately, how are you going to be able to help brand a company that is looking to hire you?” Gingras said, adding “Employers want to see you active, but they also want to see appropriate content.”
To help create a well-rounded candidate, the Office of Career Development will sit down with students to review the content of their social media sites and advise them on privacy settings or removal of certain materials.
Social media is a reflection of a person’s offline behavior. Observing online behavior allows employers to get a feel for who the applicant is beyond the resume. It is a tool used to measure who a person is.
“Online and offline behavior may differ in terms of visibility, language and tonality; but it should not differ in terms of personality. Students should always remain authentic to their true personalities when projecting their voices in the online space,” Gingras said.
