Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Facebook: career killer or networking genius?

I still have another year of college to go, so why should I start worrying now about my Facebook page? Apparently the rumors are true: some employers use Facebook to look at potential employees before they hire them. It seems unfair. But it's not an invasion of privacy is it's published online for the world to see. The trick is to not post something on your Facebook page that you wouldn't want a future employer to see. Personally, I'm going to wait until I graduate (or until I start applying for "real" jobs) to clean up my Facebook profile. If it weren't for digital cameras, theme parties, and keggers, I would probably be good to go. But let's be honest, it's college...it gets a little crazy sometimes. Of course I've set all the standard privacy settings on Facebook (only my friends can see my photo albums and my profile), but what happens when some major company tries to do a "background" check on you and they come across some less than flattering pictures and inappropriate wall posts...chances are if that company is serious enough to check your Facebook, then you probably won't get the job.

Not too long ago the CEO and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, posted a letter stating that there will be some changes in the privacy settings in the near future. The only problem is that Mr. Zuckerberg's goal is to eliminate all regional networks and encourage users to sharre more stuff publicly by letting them choose to share their information with "everyone." Zuckerberg's exact words: "Thanks for helping to make the world more open and connected." Somehow I don't think these changes are a good thing for college students who are about to graduate and start looking for a job. Some things are better off private (on Facebook) and for the eyes of friends only. Take a look at some articles on this privacy issue:

Also, check out these tips that can make a big difference in protecting yourself on Facebook and other search engines: 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know

Facebook has created the opportunity for people to make new friends, maintain relationships and communicate easily with others online. It's one of the most successful social networking sites in recent years (MySpace is out, Facebook is in). But there are precautions that all Facebook users should make in order to protect their personal and professional lives.

Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 7, 2010 at 10:48 PM

    I think the whole using facebook as a way to find out about somebody is really stupid. As you pointed out it's college! Most people do drink and go to parties. Parties are also where most pictures are taken. All the bad pictures of a student could be all from one night. Do employers look at that? Probably not. Especially if it's from 10 different friends cameras. I don't feel that doing this facebook check really show's a persons personality. Someone can still have great work ethics and party on the weekend. Most people know when and how much to drink. This open and connected idea is stupid, employers are probably missing out on a lot of good workers because of a few bad nights.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2010 at 8:44 AM

    I'm really concerned about Facebook affecting my job search. I tried to clean up my profile as well as I could recently and make private any information I didn't want anyone other than my closest friends to see, but the new privacy settings have changed that. I used to be hidden on Facebook, but now people can search and find me and I've started getting friend requests again. I am worried that it will affect my potential hiring, but I don't want to take it down because it will be a good way for me to keep in touch with friends after graduation.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)