Fifty-six percent of law school admissions officers say they look at an applicant’s social media profile to learn more about them, according to a survey by Kaplan Test Prep of 117 law schools. Ninety-one percent of law schools say your public profile is “fair game” when it comes to admissions decisions.1 Employers may also review the social media profiles of prospective employees during the recruitment process. This month, we offer tips on the appropriate and effective use of social media

Google yourself

To have a sense for your presence on the internet, start by googling your name (and consider setting up a Google Alert). When researching, users should put their name within quotation marks to bring up the closest matching entries. A quick search can help uncover online activities you may have forgotten over the years

Be mindful of your brand

Your social media profile is a reflection of your personal brand. Do you represent yourself in a manner that suggests a company should do business with you?

Does your online presence effectively demonstrate your personality, your interests, your field of study or the student organizations to which you belong? With just a little bit of attention and effort, your online presence can help shape others’ perception of your personal brand.

Use privacy settings – but know they aren’t foolproof

Privacy settings on social media sites can reduce the risk of personal material entering the public eye, but even these aren’t completely foolproof. Using the “Photos of” search feature on Facebook provides a look at the types of posts that can be seen — even with privacy settings in place. Because search engines like Google index content on the internet, there is always the possibility that background searches will turn up both old and current profiles and posts. The best course is to assume that anything you post can be discovered at some point in the future

Mind your content

The best rule when it comes to questionable images is to simply not post them. Untag yourself in any inappropriate photos others may have shared. Remember: even if you are of legal drinking age, a picture including alcohol isn’t going to make the best impression.

Just as it’s wise to shy away from controversial subjects at the holiday dinner table, you should stay away from social media content that is controversial or overtly political. Many students feel it’s safer to post about controversial topics if it’s done via sharing or retweeting someone else’s words. While this may distance you somewhat, sharing or retweeting ultimately shows an endorsement of the sentiments or ideas expressed.

Keep your content professional

While it’s tempting to be informal on social media, remember that these platforms may be seen by potential employers. Although text-speak and endless ellipses may be fine in private messages with friends, when shared publicly they can give the wrong impression. Never complain about your current work status, even if you refrain from naming the company; your complaints tell more about what type of employee you’ll be at your next job.

Don’t share confidential information

Offering too much information, or talking about details that aren’t yours to share, will be an immediate red flag to a prospective employer’s HR department. If an applicant cannot respect privacy on social media, can they be trusted with confidential information about a company?

Footnote

1 Source: https://www.kaptest.com/blog/press/2018/10/03/kaplan-test-prep-survey-record-percentages-of-admissions-officers-at-law-schools-and-business-schools-visiting-applicants-social-media-profiles-and-they-often-dont-like-what-they/

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.