Sunday, October 27, 2013
We live in a connected world, no doubt about it. It seems we can hardly survive a whole day without
being plugged in anymore. As the world
around us progresses we need to develop the awareness and the know-how to
achieve success both now and in the future. We must come to realize that our social media decisions now as
BYU students will have lasting effects that will carry through to opportunities
in the future.
Social media is an amazing tool that networks our
reality. We can interact with our family
members, close friends, classmates, teachers, and people we've never met before
with just a few clicks or taps. The capability to interface with anyone gives us power and therefore responsibility.
Specifically, social media can have a huge impact on the first impression you make. Take this situation as an example:
Let’s say that you and I meet in class. The class period ends
and we go our separate ways. Afterwards I go online and view your profile: browsing through photo albums,
recent statuses, and any other eye catching tidbit that you make publicly
available. No foul intentions, just
looking at who you are (or at least who you present yourself to be).
Based on the information I see, I create in my mind who I think you are.
Many of us go through this scenario on an almost daily basis. Depending on who does look through our public information,
potential jobs can be squandered, relationships can be destroyed,
and opportunities can be forfeited by unbridled posting.
The question of whether or not it is
right for employers to check public domain for information about prospective
employees will continue to be debated. The important point is that at this moment anyone can access any
bit of public data we put out on the web--for better or for worse. One
picture or status can completely change opinions or perspectives about who we are. Suddenly all the hard
work devoted to positive first impressions is undone because of the way we
presented ourselves online.
“If you choose to leave social media content public, tailor the message to your advantage. Filter out anything that can tarnish your professional reputation and post communications, links and photos that portray you in the best possible light.” -Rosemary Haefner, VP of HR at CareerBuilder.We must focus on what we can control.
My invitation to you is simple. Look at your social media profiles. Would your mom be proud
of how you present yourself? You don’t have to delete or change
your content immediately, just change who is able to see it.
This is the button you are looking for ^
Last year, CareerBuilder released the results of a survey titled Social Media and Getting a Job that showed how much employers use social media when considering which job applicants to hire. As I started being more selective about the information I chose to broadcast to the world, I found this survey's results and suggestions to be very useful. It's a straightforward, although not all-inclusive list of social media Do's and Don'ts to help you improve your online decisions.
So next time you go to post about your personal life, take a step back and think about who is going to see that post, and what possible repercussions it may have for your future. Think about how that post will represent you as a person, to possible employers as well as to your friends and family.
You’ll look back and be glad you did.
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Dylan,
ReplyDeleteThank you for not beating a dead horse with your argument. You said it straight and moved on and that made your post easily acceptable. Your link was a wonderful addition because it gently encouraged, but did not demand that we follow it. In other words you encouraged agency which compelled me to agree with you all the way through.
My question for you lies in the idea that many people use their online profiles to vent. At least, according to the concept that "things that are not appropriate to say aloud, are okay to say online". Would you suggest that individuals who participate in this aspect of online use build separate profiles under an alias? Or should we stop encouraging posts thriving on gossip and self-righteous opinions completely?
Hannah,
DeleteYou raise an excellent point. In regards to venting, I think it is much more productive, as productive as venting can be, when shared privately with someone who can relate. I don’t believe creating more aliases is the answer, but rather a selective choice of audience.
If I were to say that venting should be stopped altogether that would be a very hypocritical thing on my part and would require a level of thought censorship that should never exist. That being said, I completely agree with constructively inviting others to rise to higher standards.
I do disagree with the claim that “things not appropriate to say aloud, are okay to say online” I’ll share my reasoning when I see you in class tomorrow.
Thanks
Interesting, and definitely something that has been talked about a lot in recent years. Something I've been thinking about is how truthful the online experience is. What you said about how businesses look at Facebook profiles and make a decision on that is true. I think it's a rather good idea, because while somebody might be a good enough actor to make that amazing first impression, if that person really isn't as cool as he says he is, it will show up on his internet identity. I know that if I wanted to hire somebody, I would want to know what that person is like, and because standards of communication tend to be lower online, you catch a better glimpse into that person, and can make a call on whether or not that person fits in the organization. Also, if I were the one making the call on somebody, I would be more likely to hire somebody who was open with who he was online than with somebody who hid everything from everyone.
ReplyDeleteSo, wouldn't it be better to live differently, instead of faking an identity, so what you see is what you get?
Logan,
DeleteThere is no arguing that ‘what you see is what you get’ is the best case scenario. However as students we are in a time of transition. We are evolving the lives we led in High School, trying to make the most of our time in college and preparing for whatever may lay ahead. It’s difficult to turn a new leaf if no one will let you forget who you were. Sometimes we just have to “Fake it till we make it” because we’re not now what we’re aspiring to be. Putting ourselves in a positive light is a way to uplift, set sights higher, and is a reflection of what we are working toward.
As for me, I want others to see the good online so the bad they see comes directly from me rather than from misconceptions. If people want to know my whole story they can take the time to get to know me personally.
Thanks for your comment.
True, but do you really want to work for someone who treats your personality as a potential liability? I don't. Given some of the other posts on this blog, I really think we ought to present an accurate view of ourselves, even if that is off-putting to some audiences. I understand this might limit the set of potential employers that might accept you, but as the workforce ages, I think we are converging to an attitude that is much more accepting of diverse viewpoints and personalities.
ReplyDeleteDaniel,
DeleteI agree that it is important to present accurate views of ourselves, our individuality and diverse viewpoints should be treasured. Because an online persona is just a snap shot of life that can be very difficult to do . Here’s the approach that I try to take with social media that is background to my comments.
I see social media as a glimpse of my life and not full view. I share things with people on a need to know basis, often through private messages, as close as to how I would in person. Not everyone in the world needs to be in my “best friends’ loop.” I would much rather have people know me based on who I am in the flesh compared to what comes across through the screen. There is a balance that is difficult to find, so I err on the side of show less and let others get to know me in person.
Thanks for your comment.
I believe with you that people need to be careful about what they post online, but they especially be careful about who they let see it. I know of plenty of people who have gotten in fights with their friends and family over a facebook post, instagram photo, or other social media. People use social media as an outlet of their emotions, a chance to say what they are really feeling. However, I think sometimes they don't think of the real life consequences to this. For example, this summer my BYU ward made a facebook group so we could get to know each other before we came to college. However, as people began to post on the page, start conversations, and find the beginnings of friendships, I created rather harsh opinions of some people because of what they posted on their facebook. People need to be more careful about what they say and realize some people may base their whole opinions off of what they see online.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Leilani.
DeleteThe example you shared is near the heart of what I was trying to convey in this post. I really like your point that people use social media as an outlet of their emotions. I feel that some things about our lives should only be shared in the context of a relationship of trust that develops over time and through experience rather than just being blasted to the world expecting others to understand. As I consider that a lot of people still don't control their posting it helps me chuckle at some of the things people say rather than taking it for face value and slapping a label on them.
Thanks again.