Social Media of College and Beyond
Today’s blog posting is guest written by our intern, Jeanne Brown
As a college student, the social media world is pure recreation— a way to connect with friends, recap the weekends or read colorful blogs among other things. In school, the lines between personal profiles and our student lives are becoming more blurred as professors befriend us on Facebook and require us to join our class groups as another way to connect.
If this is becoming the norm in school, it will logically continue into our professional lives. With the bleak job market and stiff competition in most arenas, being well-rounded both in person and online is essential.
So how, as students fighting our way into the professional world, do we create personal profiles that will inevitably become part of our professional world?
Being ever-conscious of the perceptions that others see when reading tweets or looking at Facebook profiles is important. Create an image that you would be proud of, not one that might put you a step behind.
Not uploading every photo from the weekend and uploading interesting articles and industry news instead may be the next step to create a profile that is transitioning from college kid to working woman. Being aware of the difference between what you want your friends to see and what you want your boss to see is essential.
As I begin to edit my Facebook pages and think more about how I tweet, I will keep in mind the people who will see this and what they will think. Creating an online personality that combines the personal and professional is my next challenge as I begin my trek into the job market.
