We all have played a game or two of Cup Pong or Rage Cage and wanted to post our wins. In our 20s, we have a lot of experiences that could involve getting a picture taken with best friends or roommates in an environment where drinks are in the background. However, as a senior in college who needs a job, will this picture on my social media alter my chances of getting an interview or offer?
Recently, I went through a similar event. My best friend took a cute candid of me, but I was holding a drink in my hand. Then came the debate about if I should keep it as my profile picture on my Instagram or not. There have been many instances where my friends and I might not feel comfortable sharing a picture from a holiday or a night out, even though we are all 21, or we know it’s just lemonade in our cups. How will others perceive the image? More importantly, how would potential future recruiters or managers see my media despite being a well-rounded candidate? Would a glass in my hand knock out the high GPA status and diverse experience in a field I have for a professional position?
Social media makes it easily accessible to look up anyone and find out anything, especially when it comes to finding information on someone you may be looking into. In this case, the internet is a gateway for how companies may pre-screen an applicant.
According to Diana Hilgendorf, the Human Resources Manager at All State Fastener, an automotive supplier company, “the environment of the photo paints a picture of how the candidate [student] may carry themselves in those atmospheres.”
This can be anything from how frequently you post, where you were or what you were doing in your post, and even outside factors such as posting jokes or political views. That is why Hilgendorf’s most prominent advice is to keep any social media profiles private and err on the side of caution when we post. The job market is competitive and you never know what someone is finding or perceiving, pre- and post-hiring.
On the contrary, in a case study done in 2016 by Fama, it was found that there was “little to no effect on their job performance” when there were instances of drinks being posted on socials. As mentioned before, while many companies use social media to screen applicants, it can feel slightly unfair and like an invasion of privacy when you don’t know what professionals are finding and interpreting. This concept can yield the potential of someone’s success or opportunity without knowing the seriousness of an applicant’s knowledge and experience.
According to a Harvard Business Review article, many agree that social media screening should be stopped or altered for this exact reason. Social media opens the door to allow employers to receive the information they might not be ethically or legally allowed to ask in an interview. Either way, it is still on us as the applicants to do the spring cleaning and censoring of our social media. In a different Harvard Business Review article that revolves around a similar idea, there are different techniques for “creating the perfect” page depending on the stage of life you’re in.
Unfortunately, social media isn’t as private as we think it may be even as a “private account,” but there are pros and cons to maintaining an appropriate profile. Some pros include reasons like networking and personal branding, and cons can be a sense of censorship before and after finding work, and unsolicited biases. Overall, there are many other details about an applicant to look for when it comes to what they post, rather than if they enjoyed a drink with friends on game day or not.
While we may know that there are definitely worse factors to take into consideration when it comes to tracking a prospect’s social media, it’s safe to say to keep the nightlife events to an appropriate minimum on your page. Despite being a well rounded student with a decent amount of experience, it can still get discouraging when it comes to job hunting, and these tips might make it a little easier.
As someone who is vocal on social media about current events and posting jokes, but also who likes to post fun, cute pictures of me and my friends, it does make me wonder what others see when they look me up. What do you think, does having a fun young life really mean we are doomed for the rest of our lives post-college? Should there be other restrictions or factors that are taken into heavier consideration rather than a social life?