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Career Chat

Dear Career Services,

I just heard that I should be careful regarding information I post on my Facebook account because some companies now check online profiles before offering students internships and permanent job opportunities. I also heard that what I have posted online can never be permanently deleted off the web. Is this true? If so, do you have any pointers that can help students like me who want to know what is ok to post online and what could be misunderstood by future employers?

Sincerely,
Puzzled

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Dear Puzzled,

Many employers are choosing to check the creditability and professionalism of future hires using online sites like Google, MySpace, and Facebook. They do this for many reasons. One, they want to see if you are who you claim to be on your resume and during an interview. Secondly, they want to see if you’ll be a good representation of the company if hired. So here are some pointers to properly market yourself online:

• Be careful regarding what images and comments you post
• Keep your personal information fresh and updated
• Be formal when addressing an employer online
• Post information that will describe you in the best possible way such as your hobbies, volunteer work, student organization membership, etc…
• Use proper grammar and spelling in your messages

Ask Career Services when in doubt. Following these simple guidelines can make a great difference.

All the best,
Career Services

Have a question? E-mail us at careerservices@lewisu.edu.

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