There is no doubt that social media has changed the face of communication as we know it – everything from the way we make plans with our friends to the way we receive news is a whole different ballgame than it used to be and traditional methods have met their match.

The importance of managing your social medial profile is more important now than ever as employers have caught on to researching the social media profiles of potential candidates and now studies show employers are actually not hiring based on some of the information they come across.

A strategically managed public social media profile is a great way to use your social media profile to your advantage. Say, for example, you’re applying for a part-time job at a clothing store: be strategic and creative and permeate your profiles with related content. Read fashion related articles with Facebook aps, retweet designer tweets, post pics of your favourite outfits on Pinterest, etc. – if they’re out there researching you, why not show them you’re passionate? Consider different parties – new boy/girlfriend’s mom or your co-op supervisor or the dean of admissions at your #1 choice university – and be cautious to keep unrelated content very neutral as to not disturb your original intentions.

The other option is to mindfully manage your friends/followers and make your social media profile private and closed-off for public view. Ensure you know your privacy options, have them set to your desire and test them so you’re fully aware of what (if anything) is available for public view and don’t forget to Google yourself!

If you’re not in the workforce yet, it’s important to know that we build our social media profiles over the years and if you’re not careful, the content you post now may come back to haunt you once you are in the working world. Occasionally sorting through older content and maybe deleting a few “what was I thinking?” posts is a great way to manage inevitable change. We have to be aware of the content we’re publishing and how all different types of onlookers may perceive it – including our future selves.

How do you manage your social profile? Share with us in the comments section below!

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