3. Online Presence and Social Media

This activity aims to review the impact of student’s social media for future planning and awareness of their online presence.

Discuss

When you try to get a job, internship, or volunteer position, the people in charge—like employers, managers, or supervisors—might look at your social media pages, such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. They do this to learn more about you and see if you are a responsible and professional person. They want to know if you would be a good worker and a good fit for their company or organization.

We are going to talk about how to make sure your social media shows the best side of you. We will also learn what kinds of posts could make it harder for you to get a job and what you can do to fix them.

Resource

Social Media and Online Presence Worksheet is available to walk through what social media you have and how to make sure you are presenting the best version of you! [Note to Instructors: Encourage students to reflect on their responses and discuss key takeaways as a group. Consider showing real-world examples of how online presence can affect job opportunities.]

Watch

Social Media Safety Tips (0:53). This video shares tips on what to do and not do around social media.

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Click and Explore

Here are sites with more guidance and information related to social media and digital safety.

Social Media Guidance | Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities – Quick guide for various social media and what to consider before posting.
The Truth About How Your Social Media Affects Your Career | LinkedIn – Guidance about what you should check related to your social media.
Digital Well-Being Lessons | Common Sense Education – Contains links to lessons for students to learn good tech habits, impact of tech on the pressures students feel, and more.
Top 10 Job Scam Warning Signs | Neighbors Federal Credit Union – Shares warning signs of potential job scams since some opportunities are too good to be true.

Extending the Conversation

Take the opportunity to cleanup any social media posts, pictures, videos, and more. This includes photos or videos you may be tagged in! Make sure you have an appropriate profile picture and a completed bio. Update your privacy settings to limit who can see posts or personal information. Consider having a trusted adult or mentor look you up to get their opinion. For more guidance check out:

How to Perform a Social Media Cleanup | Norton – Shares a nine step checklist to cleanup social media accounts.
Social Media Clean-Up Checklist | LinkedIn – Includes ten ways to cleanup social media accounts since many employers use social media as a screening tool.