The Positive Google Footprint - Your Resume

Last week when I displayed the Compton JHS Facebook page to spotlight student written articles and graphics, a student made an astute comment, "I don't want to Like the school page because then you'll know how to find me."

Yes! My students are listening! 

Wait! If I wanted to, I could find them without them Liking the school page. "Do you have the highest privacy settings?" I asked hurriedly. "Double check that only your parents and friends can read your content. Then confirm that you are following the Mama Rule."

Even with the highest "privacy" settings, students must be aware that true privacy does not exist online. If you are afraid of the school finding you, what about college recruiters? What about future employers?

Science teacher Ramsey Musallam understands the power of creating a positive digital footprint. During his speech at an educational technology conference Fall 2014, the high school science teacher argued that when colleges googled his students, the colleges should find his students' blogs that demonstrate their academic knowledge and diligence. These blogs should appear above any misguided Facebook or Twitter post. These blogs should be the reason why the students are accepted into the college of their choice.

But colleges are not the only ones googling social media users. Writer Danielle Betterman, author of Risky social media usage may hurt students in job search, explains that "In 2014, 55 percent of [job] recruiters have recognized or rejected a candidate based on their social profile." Avery Powell from George Mason University writes in her article Social media continues to cast a shadow over millennials that "While the poll showed various reasoning for eliminating candidates, the top reason was sharing provocative or inappropriate photographs or information."

With this in mind, savvy social media users should view themselves through an employer's eyes as they scrub inappropriate pictures and posts. What is even better? Think before you post. Not everything can be deleted . . .

Think of your digital footprint as a resume. How do you want to be viewed by future employers? Are you trustworthy? Well-spoken? Do you bad-mouth people? Do you lie about your qualifications? Social media users must be cognizant that today's resume is not limited to one page of typed accomplishments. Not only do future employers have phone numbers of your references, they also have links to your social media friends.

Social media and the internet only capture a snapshot; it does not fully capture who you are. As such, I teach my students how to portray themselves in the best possible light. Nevermind the school finding you - future college and job recruiters are watching!

Student Privacy: Four Rules to Teach Students How to Draw the Line Podcast.
  1. Privacy, Paper Blogs & Meaningful Commenting
  2. The Right to be Forgotten
  3. The Mama Rule
  4. Review - Private Journal vs. Public Blog Chart
  5. The Lincoln Rule
  6. The Common Sense Rule - Do Not Brag about Criminal Activity
  7. The One Exception 
  8. The Positive Google Footprint Rule - Your Resume
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Bettermann, Danielle. Risky Social Media Use May Hurt Student Job Search - The Brown and White. The Brown and White. N.p., 19 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

Powell, Avery. Social Media Continues to Cast a Shadow over Millennials. USA TODAY College. N.p., 05 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.

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