Tips for Sprucing Up Your Online Image After Graduation
The Internet has connected us in ways we never could have imagined decades ago. The social networking phenomenon is a prime example of this. However, as fun as it is to meet new people, share thoughts, opinions and photos and explore a variety of interests, having an online presence can be a double-edged sword.
There are many horror stories about the content on people’s Facebook profiles preventing them from getting a job or—even worse—causing them to get fired. By now college students in particular should have a keen grasp about the importance of putting out the right image on the Internet, especially as graduation draws closer.
It doesn’t take much effort for employers to type in a person’s name and see what results come up. If there’s one thing they perceive as negative, it could be enough to put a graduate out of the running for a job, even if they have a stellar resume and degree from a prestigious college like Stanford or Yale. College students would be wise to only put out information, pictures and content about themselves that reflect on them in a positive way. This includes refraining from using foul or offensive language when posting or commenting on other people’s profiles and not publishing embarrassing, lewd or questionable photos of themselves.
Social media marketing is alive and well and even if a student isn’t a celebrity, if there’s any type of information about them online, anybody who knows how to use a search engine will be able to find it. Creating and maintaining a good online image doesn’t mean making yourself out to appear to be perfect. It’s more about using common sense to understand what type of content employers want to see, versus what should probably be kept offline or private.
Learning how to separate the public from the private is a great way to find a happy balance. If necessary, create an entirely different account for business and networking purposes. It doesn’t take much effort, not to mention it’s free.
Employers want to hire individuals that show good moral character, that have an interest in a cause, activity or hobby they are passionate about, as well as some kind of experience in the field they are hoping to find employment in. An example of a good online profile that would impress an employer would be one that contains pictures of the individual traveling, and/or participating in community related events, listing the names of organizations they belong to and/or platforms they support and information that lists their personal interests, such as favorite books, pastimes, etc.
Signing up for business related social networking sites like LinkedIn is also a good move for soon-to-be graduates getting ready to enter the workforce. Maintaining this type of profile is ideal because it is tailored for the work world and is the type of online presence that allows graduates to showcase their academic achievements and career goals.