Being a working student and using social media can be dangerous if you’re not careful of what you post. With the popularity and prevalence of social media, more employers are using it to create job opportunities or find the person they want to hire.
Some employers want to target a younger audience so they’ll find ways to reach them online. Social media is a great way for businesses to network with particular audiences. When interviewing eager college students for a job, they may hope to see ‘proficient with social media’ on their resume. This gives future employers a way to see what a person can offer; whether it be live-tweeting or doing a Facebook Live video. Both are great ways to both advertise their business and stay trendy.
For college students, it’s a good idea to highlight your own social media techniques and brand according to the kind of job you’re pursuing. Go ahead and brag about your Instagram theme, or how you created a meme or GIF. Telling your future employers about these types of skills can reveal your creativity and open up new opportunities.
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Though social media can be a good thing, as young adults we are still growing up and figuring out who we are and what we want in our futures. Social media is playing a huge role in how we express ourselves as we grow up. It’s great when you let everyone know about a new job opportunity you’ve gained or share vacation pictures you’ve taken this summer.
At the same time, I don’t think it’s a great idea for you to write statuses throwing shade or creating drama with people. It’s definitely not a great idea to post photos of you clubbing and drinking last Friday night … this may very easily dissuade future employers from wanting to hire you. You may have it all, but that photo from six years ago could come to haunt you.
It’s imperative that we learn the do’s and don’ts of social media. We have to think to ourselves, ‘do I want a stranger to judge me by this post?’ If it’s a status about how much you love ice cream, go for it. Who doesn’t love ice cream? If it’s a status saying how much you hate your job, then it’s probably not a wise idea to share. That’s not only a sure way to get yourself fired, but it also forces you to awkwardly explain the situation when applying for another job.
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Sure, it’s fun sharing memes every day — I do it too. It’s all about figuring out what you feel comfortable sharing with people. Don’t share inappropriate memes. It’s that simple. The funny memes that everyone can relate to are OK.
When approaching the job landscape, we should be posting things related to our field. Since I’m a journalism major, I usually share news coverage that I find interesting or feel passionate about. I choose not to get personal on my social media accounts, but if I do, it’s going to be about my daughter. I have family who follows me on social media and I want them to see my daughter. Sometimes I’ll ask for advice or even share events that I’m attending. If I see a meme that I find funny, but wouldn’t want my future employer to see on my newsfeed, then I just leave it be.
The key to life is balance. In this case, the balance of social media and professionalism. It’s a daily struggle, but it’s not as hard as it seems. Learn your boundaries when deciding what to post and whether you would want future employers to judge you based off of that particular post.
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