Beware of what you post...they are watching!

Hello friends,


I was surfing the world wide web today and I stumbled across a wonderful article on Ragan's PR Daily that I thought would be perfect to share with everyone. The title of the article was "5 Types of Social Media Posts that Recruiters Hate."

The article discussed how recruiters do use social media to research prospective candidates. A Jobvite survey was conducted to determine the top five types of content shared on social networks that created negative reactions among hiring managers. I will share the results, but while you read them, try and think if any apply to you.

References to doing illegal drugs- 78 percent of recruiters reacted negatively.

Posts/tweets of a sexual nature- 66 percent reacted negatively.

Profanity in posts/tweets- 61 percent of recruiters reacted negatively.

Spelling/grammar errors in posts/tweets- 54 percent reacted negatively.

Pictures of consumption of alcohol- 47 percent reacted negatively.

As a college student about to graduate in May, this article really resonated with me. Some times I don't think about the impact my social media activity can have on my future. I don't normally post super inappropriate things on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, but they are not bullet proof. My mom has been after me for a while to take down some pictures that I have up on Facebook, and I think that it's probably time to do a clean sweep. I don't know why the thought of this makes me sad. I think it is because that cleaning up my social media means that I'm officially a grown up and can no longer afford to literally be "young, wild and free." (I will always be at heart though).

So next time you go to post pictures from your crazy weekend or rant about something that made you mad, think about if it is worth losing a job opportunity over.

Thankfully I don't have to worry about poor spelling or grammar because my grandmas are always looking out for me :)

Until next time,

Katie

Facebook Has the Power to Influence and Raise Awareness

Hello friends,

I was watching the news this morning and I saw a story that was very inspiring. The story was also a great social media example and I thought it would be perfect to blog about this week.

"Battling Bare" is a wonderful campaign for a worthy cause. The website provides readers with the mission statement. It states,

The mission of Battling Bare, Inc. is to provide a network of support for the spouses, children and family and members who silently struggle to carry the burden of PTSD with beloved Service Members. By creating a safe place to band together and share our stories, we will raise awareness about PTSD and create positive programs of true healing for families

Battling Bare Inc. was born on Facebook. The idea for the campaign came from women that wanted to unite army wives and build awareness for soldiers with PTSD. The CEO Ashley Wise, first started the Facebook page after she realized what an issue PTSD was for returning soldiers. She submitted the first photo displaying her naked back with the saying that has created a national movement. Army wives and family members from all over the U.S have joined together to support their soldiers. Each picture features the women with the Battling Bare pledge.   

"Broken by battle,

Wounded by war,

I love you forever,

To you this I swore:

I will quiet your silent screams,

Help heal your shattered soul

Until once again, my love, you are whole."

I was so moved by this campaign and I believe that these women are making such a difference. Prior to watching the story on the news, I had never heard of Battling Bare. The reason why this story is relevant to my PR social media class, is because the campaign owes its success to social media. The organization has such a brave and inspiring message and they have been able to share that message with millions of people through Facebook. Battling Bare's Facebook page has allowed people to connect and share their important stories. This is a cause that is worth fighting for, and social media has provided a platform to influence others and raise awareness.

Not only does Battling Bare have a Facebook page, they also have a Twitter account, a Pinterest board, a blog, and a beautiful website. I would say this campaign is effectively using social media!

You should check out the website, the images and stories are so powerful.

Until next time,

Katie

10 Signs You're a Real Social Media Jerk

Hello friends,

I hope that everyone is having a fabulous Monday. So I was perusing around on the internet and I came across and article on PR Daily entitled, "10 signs you're a social media jerk" and I thought it was pretty interesting. There are people that I follow on social media and they drive me crazy. Sometimes the subjects they post about are ridiculous and I just want to delete them. This article provided guidelines to detect whether or not you behave badly on social media.

1. Post anonymous comments. If you contribute to a conversation, tell people who you are. If you remain anonymous, it appears that you have something to hide.

2. You're attached to your smartphone. There is a time and a place to post updates and tweets. When you are talking to someone, put the phone down. 

3. Faking authenticity. If you tweet or post under the guise of, “I’m just trying to be real,” or “I want to be honest,” you’re not. You’re trying too hard. If you want to be yourself, be yourself. Just don’t preface it that way. 

4. Blatant self-promotion. Don’t clog your social media channels with your product or brand information. People can see right through it. You want to be “authentic,” right? 

5. Referring to yourself offline by your Twitter handle. When you attend social media events, do you put your Twitter handle on your name badge, instead of your real name? Ugh. Remember, you are a person. A real, honest-to-God person. You are not your Twitter handle, even if it’s your first and last name. 

6. You publicly correct people. We’ve all made grammatical errors or accidentally tweeted the wrong links. It’s embarrassing. What makes it worse is when someone points it out publicly. If you feel the urge to correct someone, send the person a DM. If you can’t, well, at least be subtle: “You might wanna check your last tweet.” They’ll see it as an act of kindness, not as one of humiliation. 

7. You tell people your Klout score. This is tragic. You are a person. You are not a number. Why not tell people your SAT scores, too? 

8. You’re a Facebook addict. No, seriously; it’s a problem. You’re constantly updating your status, playing Farmville, and sending messages to your high school boyfriend. Every fleeting thought is written down in a post. As you pose for pictures, you’ve already decided which Photo Albums they will go in. 

9. You name drop Twitter handles of people who follow you. Just because you follow someone, you don’t actually “know” each other (most likely). It’s OK to say that you follow certain people on Twitter, but you’re mistaken to think you are actually friends with them. You actually have to meet a person before you can say you “know” them. 

10. You refer to yourself as a “social media ninja.” Well, I guess it’s better than referring to yourself as “Anonymous.” And you’d better have the Klout score to back it up, Grasshopper. 

I definitely think that there are some people that could benefit from these tips. The problem is, we are online so often that it creates more opportunities to make mistakes. If you read these guidelines and determine that you are a social media jerk, take the necessary steps to ensure you are not that person that everyone wants to delete from social media sites. 

Until next time,

Katie