Letters to the Editor
Posted on August 28, 2006

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Applying for a job or starting a new job soon? You may want to check yourself and your online appearance, or else risk getting yourself in trouble.

Online communities such as MySpace.com or Facebook.com have gained much popularity in recent years and have no doubt become, along with instant messaging, staples in the daily lives of most college students. And for a good reason: these social networking Web sites provide convenient, creative ways of communicating with your friends at school and at home. This certainly comes as no news to you, and you are probably already a member and are enjoying the benefits of these online communities.

As alumni, some of us have also signed up for MySpace.com and Facebook.com accounts, even just for networking. Plus, who doesn’t like to stay in touch with friends near and far? No doubt, these Web sites are great tools, but they bring no shortage of risks for the college student user.

In many companies, recent graduates are often involved in the recruiting process. As they are well aware of the market’s current trends, they might use one of these online communities to obtain further information about you as a potential job candidate.

Then it remains questionable whether your quotes and pictures from a house party are still considered “cool” or rather are a “kill” for you as the applicant. Of course, the recruiter is not allowed to judge and base his or her recruiting decision on any information obtained from these unofficial sources. However, it still doesn’t give the best impression of you, and might be a tiebreaker when it comes down to you and another candidate.

On the other hand, you might already have a job lined up and will start your professional career soon. Even then, you want to be careful about what information you post about yourself on these sites as you might jeopardize your credibility — and chance at a promotion — in front of your co-workers and/or clients.

So, take this advice for what it’s worth. Whether you are currently applying for a new job, are soon entering the professional workforce or already have a job, you may want to check that your profile on these online communities is in line with your personal interests.

Felix von Lepel & Khalil Garriott, JMU alumni, class of 2004