 |
Unfortunately, with all of these benefits, come a few negative consequences. Job seekers often forget how their online presence can negatively affect their prospects. Posting pictures of a wild party in college seems like a great idea until one considers that many employers complete Google searches when reviewing a potential employee. Although many consider their online activities to be personal in nature, employers see employees as ambassadors for their companies. This results in a blurring of the lines between personal and professional.
Ensuring a positive online presence is relatively easy.
 |
Start by Googling your name. Take the time to do a little digging to see what comes up. Review all social media sites—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter—and remove any posts and/or pictures that an employer may frown upon. Remove tags from friends’ pages that do not present you in a positive light.
Keep privacy settings as conservative as possible, but know that some employers request that potential employees log into personal accounts in their presence so they may review the content themselves.
It is much better to take a conservative approach when posting online in order to avoid scarring your reputation.
CPD102AC touches on these issues while teaching students creative job hunting skills.
Contributed by Rio Salado Counselor Amberly Lebeck-Brown on behalf of Rio Salado’s Counseling Services-- helping students with their personal, educational and career goals.