Just like almost every other college student in today's world, I actively use many different social media platforms probably way too much. I've always been told by my parents even before getting to college, "You need to watch what you post." And I always have the same response, "I know. I'm not going to do anything stupid." However, the reality of it is that it's not about doing something "smart" or something "stupid." In the end, it is about the image that is set forth by your social media account. It also isn't just about the status updates that you share or the pictures you post. It is also about what you are tagged in, what you "like", and what you repost from other pages.
In truth, your social media image may be completely different from who you are as an actual person, and that can lead to many problems. For instance, I went to a conference about two weeks ago with a firm that I may one day apply for an internship or a job with. The partners at this firm told us that after they get an application from someone who wishes to work with them, they not only look at their social media accounts, but they also google their name to see what comes up. Now, obviously, if your name is Chris Brown then a lot of stuff totally unrelated to you will pop up, and there is nothing you can do about it. But if they look long enough what will they find? Will they find posts that describe someone who is well put together and professional? Or will they find a picture that was posted two years ago that you were tagged in and doing something you probably shouldn't have been doing?
In today's world social media is a powerful tool that can be used to keep in touch with others or to even serve as a platform, but social media can also hurt us in the long run if we aren't careful about what we post or what we allow others to post about us. In today's world, everything that you have ever posted can probably be found again, even if your account is on private. This same firm explained to us that they had an application from a person who seemed to have it all together. She looked great on paper and the interview to match; she was perfect for the job and for the firm. After her interview they looked at her social media accounts and Googled her name as they would for any applicant. Her social media and her resume did not match at all; in fact, they were complete opposites. Their perfect candidate quickly turned into someone that they no longer wanted to hire just because of things she had posted or things that had been posted about her. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how fun the event may have been or how much you want to post something that may not be an accurate representation of you because later on, when you get that interview for your dream job, it won't be worth it anymore because your social media accounts can make or break your career.
