By: Ally Romanes
Right now we all have a lot of extra time on our hands and most of us find ourselves spending a good chunk of that time on social media. I’m positive you’ve all heard professors or parents telling you to be intelligent about what you post but another reminder couldn’t hurt! The first thing a lot of us do when we meet or are about to meet someone is, look them up! We all do it. A person’s social media is a representation of them, a brand if you will. It can play a role in getting into a school or getting a job. It’s important to make sure you put your best foot forward. Here are a few things to consider about your social media platforms.
Make a good first impression
The first thing anyone sees when they land on your page is your profile photo! Make sure your photo is appropriate. I’m not suggesting everyone needs a headshot in a suit and tie as their default photo, obviously, you should have fun and express yourself how you want but it’s good to keep a few things in mind like making sure your face is visible and on a platform like LinkedIn it’s definitely a good idea to aim for as professional as possible.
Browse through your profile
Take a look at your viewable photos and videos. Pay close attention to things you might be tagged in. Look through your older posts and comments for things that may not reflect the person you are or want to be.
Adjust your privacy settings
I’m sure you know this already, young people are always on top of technology, but you can change your social media settings to not allow your profile to be tagged in photos or videos without your approval. You can also set it so people cannot comment on your FB timeline without approval. If you’ve found you are often being tagged in something you aren’t happy with, consider adjusting your settings. I changed mine simply because my best friend has a habit of posting the absolute ugliest photos of me.
Update your bio!
Make sure you have current information on your page. As someone who uses social media for work often, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken to Facebook to look for someone’s contact information.
Keep it professional
Or at least use proper grammar! I don’t have anything else to say except I really like proper grammar and you should too! At least download Grammarly to give you a helping hand because no one wants to be the person whose posts get comments correcting which version of “there” they incorrectly used!
What you post online reflects who you are. Be smart about what you post because your future professor or boss might see it. Use social media to help you, not hurt you.