Use it, but use it with intention
In a recent interview, Andrea Karpala, Communications Manager for the CIO/Chief Librarian and Chair of the Library Social Media Committee, Jessica Westlake, Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs), and former intern Belu Follin sat for an interview with The Ontarion to make clear to incoming students the way that social media can both enable students to succeed in endeavours and diminish their chances of being looked at in a positive manner.
Social media can be and is used on a daily basis at work in a multitude of facets, both here on campus and throughout the world. Karpala expressed that she “spends a lot of time on twitter” through the Library, because she finds it is “very engagement focused” and that it “points [students] to resources they may not have been aware of before.” Karpala described giving feedback on twitter to students as a way of giving them “some online love” and recognition for a job well done. Follin said that something great about social media is that “you can get some kind of feedback in a different way,” which encourages students to continue sharing.
Social media is an important tool to use, as it helps to build an online presence, but there are things that students need to be aware of when using these platforms. While social media platforms can give students the ability to create a strong online presence where they can share and like things that they want to show people, it can also be easy to share information you may not want people to know. Westlake noted that “viewing someone’s social media and meeting them in person” are two different kinds of first impressions. “The nice thing about meeting someone in person is that [someone] can elaborate on that experience,” Westlake explained, “whereas an online first impression is often limiting and could result in someone walking away with only half the story [and without learning more first].” This is why transparency is so important. Karpala stressed that “Your online presence needs to be an extension of you. As a student, you need to be really careful about what you are publically sharing online.” While being careful is important, it’s equally important to maintain your personality, Karpala explained. “If you are looking for a co-op or a job, you should have a more professional account that you can share with employers and then a personal account that you can share with your friends,” she concluded. “Regardless, it should still be a reflection of you.”
Something to keep in mind when constructing or deconstructing your Facebook account, according to Westlake, is your reputation. “Eventually, I started to think of my online presence as an extension of my reputation… I try to anticipate how posts might be perceived and build in some safeties with my settings” stated Westlake.
When asked what kind of role social media plays in society Karpala said “I think social media plays a uniquely strong role, because it’s such a personal way of connecting. When you think about marketing in general, the most successful marketing programs are the ones that can be the most targeted and that is exactly what social media platforms can give to you.”
Karpala also shared some important things for students to keep in mind when using social media: Always use a professional account for employers; get friends to look over your account; and connect to the University to stay informed and to get questions answered more quickly. She also pointed out some things not to do: never share your personal information, because you don’t know who will be looking at it; turn off your location-based services on your devices; and put a passcode on your phone, as you never know when you may lose it and who would have access to all of your personal information.
Westlake encouraged students to ““understand each platform and how it’s designed to be used in order to present yourself with tact. Each platform has its own etiquette and unwritten social rules,” she continued, “For example Facebook is about networking and sharing what you “like” with people. It’s not necessarily a platform designed to blog about substantial topics. Certainly, you are allowed to use platforms how you wish, however, just as you would allow your judgement to dictate your behaviour in a social or academic setting, that same judgement is beneficial online.” Westlake also mentioned some questions that students could ask themselves: “Is this the reputation you want to portray with your profile or post? Is it an accurate depiction of what you want to say or share? Should something change before you post? Will you be proud of your online profile or post, five or ten years from now? Could your profile or any posts prevent you from a future career or embarrass you later?”
The overall consensus throughout the interview was that some social media sites are fantastic tools to help build a strong professional online presence – like LinkedIn and twitter – but that it is important to be sure to keep in mind the kind of people, networks, and groups that you follow and to ensure that they are things that support your end goal. Karpala also added that she thinks it is “field directed” – for an example, if you have an interest in writing and journalism, it may be a good idea to start a blog.
As beneficial as social media can be and as present as it is in society, it is absolutely necessary to keep in mind some of this great advice when using social media over the years you spend here at the University of Guelph. So please, go ahead, check your privacy settings and make sure you are making smart choices for not just the present you, but your future self as well.