MONICA MANNEY
Special to The Leader
Have you ever gotten a random message on Facebook or Twitter? As creepy as random people on the internet can be, you may have to pick up their tactics to land your post-graduation job.
The English department’s “Writers @ Work” series featured four Fredonia alumni discussing the work in their fields.
In the hour-long conversation about social media, one thing that was unanimous among the graduates was the importance of social media in terms of networking and creating your image.
“You don’t know where your next job is coming from,” said Communications Specialist at Elderwood Courtney Gfroerer when discussing the importance of having a clean profile.
According to the panelists, being aware of what you put on the internet is one of the first steps in marketing yourself.
“A couple months before graduation, I went through and deleted all my old pictures on my Facebook,” said Sylvana Dussan.
They also discussed the importance of knowing how to navigate privacy settings. When privacy settings are on, people can still see some of your photos, and they may not be the ones that will represent you in the way you want potential employers to see you.
“I put my Facebook on private and then realized that people could still see some photos
. . . they weren’t that bad. Just like St. Paddy’s day in Fredonia,” said Erin Dorozynski with a laugh.
Once you have a clean profile on Facebook, it may be time to check the rest of your social media. Having professional posts on your Facebook, but cat memes on your Instagram, may give employers mixed messages.
“Your messaging should say the same thing and be consistent. Your messaging has to be the same across all boards,” said Gfroerer.
If cat memes are your forte, it might be best to keep them to your private profile for your friends and keep them off of your public one.
According to the alumni panelists, once your profile is clean and consistent, students should reach out to potential employers on social media platforms.
“Send a message with your LinkedIn request. Don’t just send the general message,” said Gfroerer.
Each panelist shared an experience of LinkedIn connections with no message.
Each were ignored.
Networking on social media is important because, as Bill Nye says, “Everyone you meet knows something you don’t,” and the internet has millions of people you don’t know.
Landing your job might include reaching out to those people and asking about your aspiring job.
Students looking to create a positive social media presence on LinkedIn can stop by the Career Development Office in Gregory Hall for tips and advice.