Employability
Social Media
Digital Citizenship
Managing Your
Online IdentityAdvice for
school
leavers
By
Dr Helen
Dixon
@H
ele
nD
ixon10
‘In the future,
your “digital
footprint” will
carry far more
weight than
anything you
put on a
resume.”
Chris Betcher
@H
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nD
ixon10
74% of managers look at candidates' Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn profiles to see if they
display behaviour that is unsuitable for the job
http://www.startupdonut.co.uk/news/startup/most-employers-check-social-media-before-hiring
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nD
ixon10
References to taking illegal drugs
Posts/tweets of a sexual nature
Profanity in posts/tweets
Spelling/grammar errors in posts/tweets
Pictures of alcohol consumption
Source: JobviteSocial Recruiting
Survey 2012
Top turn-offs for employers
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•With family, friends and peers
•With groups etc. you are interested in
•With educators and potential employersConnect
•The rights and beliefs of others
•The law
•Policies set out by your School and employersRespect
•Your personal details and privacy
•The privacy of friends and teachers
•Your future reputation and employabilityProtect
Being a digital citizen
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Email, text or DM?
For formal communications,
emails are best
An informal tone may be
acceptable for text messages
but is often not appropriate for
emails @H
ele
nD
ixon10
Use DMs on social media rather
than posting publicly if you
want to discuss sensitive issues
or provide personal details
Email etiquette
• E.g. “Group assignment”Include a clear
subject line
• “Dear Professor Austen” or “Dear Mr Dickens”
• Avoid “Hey” or “Hiya”
Use professional salutations
• Don’t rely on spellcheck and beware of autocorrect!
Proofread your message carefully
• Add email address last and double-check that it is correct
• Use “Reply to all” with care!
Make sure you have selected the right
recipient
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• Avoid sexist, sectarian, racist, homophobic, anti-disability or other offensive language
• Check privacy settings and restrict personal sites to friends only
• You’ll find useful advice in our Social Media Guide for Students
Before it even starts!
Don’t let social media ruin your career
Your selfies are
important!
• Don’t share TMI!Self-
control
• Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want your parents/teachers to see
Self-respect
• Don’t judge yourself on the number of likes you get or followers you have
Self-esteem
Facebook tagging settings
Find out more about
tagging in Facebook
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If it’s online, it’s NOT private!
Source:
www.mirror.co.uk
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Make social media
WORK for you!
• Keep up with what’s happening within your
School or Universities you are interested in
• Research assignment topics
• Follow potential employers or influential
people
• Get involved in online discussions –
ask questions and respond to comments
to get yourself noticed!
• Think about creating a professional Social
Media profile (e.g. LinkedIn)
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nD
ixon10
What will employers look for
in your online profile?
Academic achievements
Examples of written or
creative work
Transferable skills
Industry knowledge and
experience
Cultural fit
Be smart online!
• about the impact on you and othersTHINK
• posting photos of others, check that it’s OKBEFORE
• are responsible for anything you put onlineYOU
• content that shows off your skills and lets you shinePOST
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Find out more!
Taking control of your online reputation
Childnet Hub for young people
UK Safer Internet Centre resources for
young people
Bullying UK – What’s a cyber bully?
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