We established in our last posts that social media is making extraordinary strides in the marketing world - that can't be denied - but, like all great things, there's a catch. Most people use their Facebook pages for social purposes instead of career enhancers. This is harmful to employees/potential employees because more and more employers loks at Facebooks to determine if the candidate will represent their company in a positive light and if their own personal branding will enhance the company's image. According to our notes, as of October 2010, 75 percent of managers use social media for background research on job applicants. With the rapid growth rate of social media, this number has likely increased since then.
As young adults, we still place great value on our social lives. It's no secret that the social scene in college isn't going to see tea parties and wine mixers; it will most likely contain a bar, frat party, etc. Since social media is raging and interaction is valued, we get excited about sharing pictures and posting stories. What we often don't realize when we put ourselves out there like that, is that we are being watched. Your Facebook site could make or break a job for you. Employers have refused to hire people because of inappropriate pictures, alcohol use, profanity, and bad communication skills.
I personally feel that social lives should be separate from your job life. We all need a special "me time" and we shouldn't be expected to have our workpants on 24/7, but that's how the world works today and it is imperative to embrace that fact if you want to be successful. Your job is a part of you, and all the parts mesh together at some point. That's why we need to use our social media sites to our advantage. So what if you don't post that trashy picture of you drunk with a lampshade on your head? Sure, it'd be funny, but it's not going to gain you respect from anyone. Most likely, your friends who want to see this can just come over and see the picture on your camera. Instead, use the site to express your creativity, display any volunteer work you've participated in, or take an educated stand on a popular topic. In his blog "HOW TO; Leverage Social Media for Career Success," Dan Schawbel says, "Think about monitoring your reputation as an opportunity to learn more about how you're projecting your brand to the world and take some of it as feedback to help you in your future career development."
I have not had any experience with inappropriate social media content, but i hae read plenty of articles of people that have. I have recently discovered the importance of branding and marketing yourself through social media outlets, and I realize that it is almost impossible to get a job today by simply filling out an applicatin and looking good on paper (unless you already have some serious connections or plan on joining the family business). YOU have to be proactive and show employers that you look good in all areas and that you will be an all-around asset to their company.
As young adults, we still place great value on our social lives. It's no secret that the social scene in college isn't going to see tea parties and wine mixers; it will most likely contain a bar, frat party, etc. Since social media is raging and interaction is valued, we get excited about sharing pictures and posting stories. What we often don't realize when we put ourselves out there like that, is that we are being watched. Your Facebook site could make or break a job for you. Employers have refused to hire people because of inappropriate pictures, alcohol use, profanity, and bad communication skills.
I personally feel that social lives should be separate from your job life. We all need a special "me time" and we shouldn't be expected to have our workpants on 24/7, but that's how the world works today and it is imperative to embrace that fact if you want to be successful. Your job is a part of you, and all the parts mesh together at some point. That's why we need to use our social media sites to our advantage. So what if you don't post that trashy picture of you drunk with a lampshade on your head? Sure, it'd be funny, but it's not going to gain you respect from anyone. Most likely, your friends who want to see this can just come over and see the picture on your camera. Instead, use the site to express your creativity, display any volunteer work you've participated in, or take an educated stand on a popular topic. In his blog "HOW TO; Leverage Social Media for Career Success," Dan Schawbel says, "Think about monitoring your reputation as an opportunity to learn more about how you're projecting your brand to the world and take some of it as feedback to help you in your future career development."
I have not had any experience with inappropriate social media content, but i hae read plenty of articles of people that have. I have recently discovered the importance of branding and marketing yourself through social media outlets, and I realize that it is almost impossible to get a job today by simply filling out an applicatin and looking good on paper (unless you already have some serious connections or plan on joining the family business). YOU have to be proactive and show employers that you look good in all areas and that you will be an all-around asset to their company.
I agree with your statement about using social media to our full advantage not just the social aspect. I am very thankful that we are assigned to create a Linkden account for this course because it will be very valuable to keep professional connections and help us get jobs using those connections. I mentioned in my blog this week that employers should not be so harsh on social media sites such as Facebook because they are mostly used for personal reasons. But on the other hand everything you put on the internet is for the most part public information and can be seen by almost anyone. So, I understand why employers judge these sites so harshly. Great post!
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