Everyone has heard about the dangers of social media. It’s time-consuming, it facilitates bullying and it can damage current and future careers. According to Forbes, Facebook currently has 1.2 billion registered users, which has proven especially detrimental to many people. Most companies take the liberty of searching through applicants’ online profiles in order to gauge how they will represent the corporation if they are hired. This has resulted in situations where jobs were not offered or employees were fired because of inappropriate content. But social media sites have actually done us more good than bad.
We can reconnect with old friends and family, keeping them up-to-date with our lives, and discover job opportunities. Unfortunately, an emphasis on social media has not become a part of our education. Many students don’t realize how having an online presence can further their career.
In middle school, we learned how to type efficiently and use basic word processing software such as Microsoft. Now in college, I am taking an information systems class, but I have yet to take a course on how to effectively use Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Joseph Baker, author of “How Students Benefit From Using Social Media,” suggested networking can propel students in four main ways — connections, web engagement, knowledge and social media marketing. Not only does it provide interesting ways for students to learn and grow, it is also opening up a whole new set of job opportunities. Facebook and Twitter have proven to be great resources in job searching. By hyperlinking your résumé, you provide easy access for possible employers. USNews suggests filling out your Linkedin profile and being active on it in order to “help push your profile to the top of Google’s search results, which means a potential employer will see what you want them to see.”
There are many possibilities for social media that can help you win a job. I think it should be a priority to show students how they can develop an online presence. A simple résumé is important, but getting that résumé out and networking among future employers is just as important. Education systems should refrain from being so skeptical of social media sites and begin to tap into the more redeeming qualities that could quite possibly get you your next job.
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