Samantha Chaffin
Editor-in-Chief
As technology changes and advances, so do the ways in which we use it.
On the front page of this issue of “The Bengal,” you may have noticed an article detailing how Idaho State University is expanding its use of social media. ISU is not alone in doing this.
Today, most companies and organizations are utilizing social media in one way or another. Even if you don’t necessarily see their posts, the odds are they are still looking at it and using it to make personnel and hiring decisions.
As a self-proclaimed Facebook addict, I see firsthand the things that my peers, coworkers and acquaintances post publicly to social media.
There are times that I am baffled beyond comprehension at some of the posts I come across while browsing my news feed. How do people think this is appropriate to share with literally the entire world? Don’t they realize employers and other important people are looking at this? Don’t they realize this is a direct representation of them?
I’ve found that usually the answer to all of those questions is no.
People usually don’t realize or think about the consequences that could result from the things they are posting to social media and the web as a whole.
On the flip side, many people do realize there are implications and problems that could arise from social media. However, they reside under an umbrella of false security because they have set their profiles or web pages to private or friends only.
Over the years, I’ve learned that privacy settings only go so far and common sense is not so common. This is especially true when it comes to online forums.
I implore each and every one of you to think about the things you are posting to social media and the like. Is that the message you want to send to potential employers, coworkers, family and peers? Is that the message you want to send to the person you just met who is now online trying to get a sense of who you really are?
Whether we like it or not, social media often acts as a direct reflection of the user.
From a Facebook page, employers and other interested parties can see photos, posts, videos and so much more. The same goes for Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Bloggr, Google+ and any other public site imaginable.
Employers all across the country in various fields are not only utilizing social media to market themselves and connect with the public, but to research potential employees. Many times, what an employer finds on your social media sites can be a deciding factor in whether or not you get hired.
That being said, I implore everyone reading this to think before you tweet, or post, on any public forum. Make sure that what you post is representative of what you want to portray to prospective employers and others.
