October 30, 2007...10:39 am
Social Networking Safety
I just finished reading the article “Getting Past Google: Perspectives on Information Literacy from the Millennial Mind” by Carie Windham (PDF). It’s worth a read, especially for librarians and administrators at schools & colleges. One thing in there that I thought was especially useful was a set of tips on staying safe on social networking sites like Myspace & Facebook. Here’s the link to the original source. These are the important points to consider:
“1. Don’t put your cell phone number and your address on there — Who knows what serial killers who also enjoy water skiing are on there looking for a Silence of the Lambs-style friend/addition to their person coat.”
“2. Don’t put pictures on there you don’t want everyone to see — a great gauge for this is to pretend your grandma gets on MySpace.com once a week because she is hip and likes to check out emo bands. Do you really want her to see you chugging a beer while shaking your Laffy Taffy in the air in the sweater she knitted for you last Christmas?”
“3. Don’t just accept everyone who asks be your friend — when did we become so unselective of our friends? Have a screening process. If you don’t know them, don’t let them be your friends. It may be a weird ex-boyfriend or girlfriend checking to see if you are in a relationship.”
“Now that we have those things out of the way, remember these sites can be really good for meeting new people, but they are also filled with people who may try to take advantage of you — or they might just be really old. There is no guarantee sexystud22 on MySpace.com is really a sexy 22-year-old stud or hot chick.”
One of the most important points (besides those above) is that many employers will search social networking sites like Myspace & Facebook. It may help them get an idea of who you are before they interview you or when trying to decide on one or two potential candidates. As is explained on Careerbuilder.com,
“A recent study by the executive search firm ExecuNet found that 77 percent of recruiters run searches of candidates on the Web to screen applicants; 35 percent of these same recruiters say they’ve eliminated a candidate based on the information they uncovered.”
That site also contains some points on proper use of social networking sites worth keeping in mind as you move on from college to the professional world.
“1. Be careful. Nothing is private. Don’t post anything on your site or your “friends” sites you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. Derogatory comments, revealing or risqué photos, foul language and lewd jokes all will be viewed as a reflection of your character.”
“2. Be discreet. If your network offers the option, consider setting your profile to “private,” so that it is viewable only by friends of your choosing. And since you can’t control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the “block comments” feature. Remember, everything on the Internet is archived, and there is no eraser!”
“3. Be prepared. Check your profile regularly to see what comments have been posted. Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you. If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, see about getting it removed — and make sure you have an answer ready to counter or explain “digital dirt.”
1 Comment
March 13, 2008 at 9:45 pm
[...] This is especially true for those just entering the job market from college. As I reported in this post, “A recent study by the executive search firm ExecuNet found that 77 percent of recruiters [...]
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