Now, I know I am going to get bashed to talk about such a cliché topic. I mean, yeah yeah - everybody knows this. But hear me out for a second, you might just discover something important.
There is a reason as to why I chose individual level rather than a social level. It's not new that social media has been directing our social life in every direction possible. In fact, to talk about today, social media is the most important factor in our society, to begin with. At the same time (in most cases) if it does effect you individually --- you are either considered lucky maybe because you just went viral or unlucky maybe because your girlfriend just dumped you after snitching your whatsapp messages.
But the (crucial-case) individual level at which social media does effect you though is far greater - think about life or death situation.
So you just filled an application form for a job somewhere, you make yourself a brilliant resumè, you give all the important details about your academics and achievements. You are all set - this job is yours! Just before you register yourself they ask you for your social media links (facebook or twitter or instagram). Sure, you will put your links in without hesitation, it's nothing professional and you look stunning in your display. That is what you thought as you put your connections inside those unimportant boxes. It's not like the company CEO is going to stalk you and find out about your weird fetish for pineapple on pizzas. Well bad news for you - because you are not getting asked for your social media accounts for no reason and the company might as well be already throwing your resumè in trash for liking pineapple on pizzas (worst-case scenario -- the company owner is Italian). Yes! That does happen.
So you just filled an application form for a job somewhere, you make yourself a brilliant resumè, you give all the important details about your academics and achievements. You are all set - this job is yours! Just before you register yourself they ask you for your social media links (facebook or twitter or instagram). Sure, you will put your links in without hesitation, it's nothing professional and you look stunning in your display. That is what you thought as you put your connections inside those unimportant boxes. It's not like the company CEO is going to stalk you and find out about your weird fetish for pineapple on pizzas. Well bad news for you - because you are not getting asked for your social media accounts for no reason and the company might as well be already throwing your resumè in trash for liking pineapple on pizzas (worst-case scenario -- the company owner is Italian). Yes! That does happen.
You see, your personal accounts on social media are a direct indication of what kind of person you really are and what kind of hobbies you have. Think of your social media accounts as are your public portfolios/autobiographies. You are asked to show them because they are really going to judge what kind of person you are through your social media accounts. These accounts also proves your authentication and caliber. Bad grammar in captions stand no chance either. When employers hire people they also check whether the person is suitable for job in ways other than their academic backgrounds and your facebook profile might as well be more helpful for them to decide than your good old resumè.
The truth hold that job recruitment can sometimes be very unpredictable. With market saturating almost everywhere, it mostly the best of the best who really get the huge one-in-the-lifetime gig. It's only ironic how something as futile as your facebook account could decide your fate. So it might be best to start cleaning up already. Sound professional when you give away your personal accounts to any job agency. That might just be the key.
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