One of the career issues plaguing young professionals and students is how they are perceived online. With immediate access to social networks, employers are taking the background search to a whole new level. As Facebook is the most popular, potential employers take various things into account before deciding if they should hire you. They can monitor your Facebook status, groups you belong to and of course photos and videos you are tagged in. Unfair, I know.
There was a situation where a potential candidate was declined a position after the employer saw they belonged to this group: "Why do I have to press 1 for English? We're in America, Learn The Language!" My guess is this employer highly values diversity in ethnic background, race, and mother tongue, and this person just shot themselves in the foot. See my point?
I would recommend having two separate social media pages -- one for professional use only, and another for personal use. Before posting or joining anything, always ask yourself, "Is this a true reflection of who I am?"
Until recently Facebook users had little control over picture and video tagging... until now. After speaking with a representative at Facebook, I decided to post a step-by-step guide on how to stop tagging.
- Log into Facebook.
- Click "Account."
- Click "Privacy Settings."
- Find "Sharing on Facebook."
- Click on "Customize Settings."
- Find "Things Others Share/Photos and Videos You're Tagged In." Click "Edit Settings."
- Drop the menu for "Who Can See Photos and Videos I'm Tagged In?" Click "Custom Edit."
- Find "Make This Visible to These People." Click "Only Me."
- Click "Save Setting."
Click here for Facebook's official photo privacy help centre.
Reclaim control of your online reputation, and don't miss out on a great opportunity because of a stupid mistake.
Melissa Cordelia is the Principal Advisor, Founder of The Career Advisors.
