Social media platforms are designed to help people network and lend users the opportunity to create their personal brand. Your personal brand conveys everything you choose to post and should always reflect who you are and what you represent.
The freedom to create your online perception can either benefit or hurt you. A professional profile can help you reap opportunities when employers conduct a background check, but too often our profiles are left unattended and need to be cleaned up. Professors, parents and peers alike advise that if your profile isn’t “puppies and rainbows” or not appropriate for grandma then your content is tainting your personal brand. Follow these steps to get your social media profiles on the right track: 1. Take Out the Trash So you already know your profiles are a bit….questionable. Now it’s time for some spring cleaning. Go through each of your profiles and delete content that may not be favorably viewed by employers. Photos of you partying and drinking last weekend or during a break need to be deleted. It may take a while to sift through all of your posts and other content, but it’s entirely worth the effort. When future opportunities for interviews or networking arise you will be able to go in confidently knowing your profiles are pristine. 2. Change Your Privacy Settings All social networks have privacy settings that allow you to control what your followers and the public can view. On my Facebook profile for instance, I don’t allow people to see my tagged photos and I can approve photos of myself that other people upload and tag me in. My name on Facebook is not my full, legal name. In addition, I have two Twitter profiles: one that is professional and public and one that is private and not attached to a working professional email address. 3. Add Content That Markets Yourself We’re drilled to delete bad content, but once that’s done it’s time replenish your profile with positive content. Post items that relate to your career interests and show what’s going on in the industry you see yourself entering. For example, I want to work in public relations and advertising, so on my LinkedIn profile I recently shared an article covering a campaign on working mothers. My sister, who studies finance, last posted an article on share buybacks to her LinkedIn network. Sharing industry-related content shows you’re updated on current trends, have a passion for a particular field, and want to help your overall industry evolve. You can share content related to your desired profession on any platform, but it’s best suited for LinkedIn because it’s more suited for business professionals. If you don’t follow these steps, you’re at risk for harmful consequences Recently, mega social media influencer Claudia Oshry, otherwise known as Girl With No Job (GWNJ), was destined to create an empire. She had her own live show and tons of sponsorships. Sadly, her fame spiraled downward when past offensive tweets were uncovered in a Daily Beast article. Oshry apologized and lamented that the previous tweets didn’t align with her views anymore but the damage was already done. She had plenty of time to clean up her profile, a strategy that would have kept her more immaculate in the public eye. Unfortunately for Oshry she has lost sponsorships and her live show, both of which she worked tirelessly to build. So whether you’re looking to be the next social media celebrity, land your top entry level job or internship, or anything in between, make sure to filter your social media profiles to reflect your personal brand and career aspirations. We don’t want or need to see everything.
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