Just when you thought social media was your place to unwind and talk freely, another set of rules come flying at you. Yes, social media is now a place where you can inadvertently ruin your chances of a great career, as well as your immediate education. Students have to exercise caution as anyone could be watching. And that includes teachers and potential employers.
1. Illegal Activities
Nobody wants to associate with a criminal. So it only makes sense to avoid posting about any illegal activities you may be involved in.
But first of all, it would be a great idea not to commit illicit acts. As tempting as it may be, stay away from shop lifting, drug dealing, car stealing or any other foolish activity. As soon as you have the age that allows authorities to legally prosecute you, there’s no way out. A record will stain your reputation for a life time. As a consequence, colleges and employers will tend to reject your applications.
Secondly, if the advice above comes in too late, here’s another one: under no circumstances brag about your deed on the internet. This is how thieves are being caught these days!
In the end, don’t associate your social media accounts with those belonging to criminals. Officials may get a wrong message out of this friendship.
Example: John had a record for shoplifting, nothing too serious. But because of it, he didn’t manage to get into his dream college and he only got a job due to his parents’ connections.
2. Bullying
This act is considered to be a really negative one. Educational institutions are taking serious measures in order to eliminate bullying and to severely punish those doing it.
Please note that online bullying is not accepted either. Victims can report aggressors to authorities, who are easily able to track them down via the IP.
No one is exempted from punishments, not even the smartest students.
Example: Maria has lost her scholarship because she insisted on daily bullying one of her colleagues. The principal warned Maria on the consequences, but she thought that being smart is equal to having a protection shield.
3. Personal Information
Online fraudsters and thieves love the Internet, and especially social media. They prey on students who’re naïve enough to post things like their social security and student numbers. Just as you wouldn’t walk around with your name and address written on your forehead, you shouldn’t broadcast your personal information in a public forum.
If a website asks for personal data, just close it. Additionally, don’t input financial info on unsecured web pages. The safe ones are marked with a green lock in the address.
If you really have to transmit personal information via e-mails, make sure to encrypt the message. This is the only way to protect it against online criminals.
Example: Ann posted her true home address on a social media website and one day, the postman rang at her door – he was delivering a very expensive TV and was waiting for Ann to pay it!
4. Your Teachers
Only talk about your teachers in a way that either praises them or represents constructive criticism. Never trash them or write something that could hurt their feelings. Not to mention that mean colleagues can use those replies in order to ruin your academic career.
For example, Chris used to always talk badly about his professors. Unfortunately, his friends were not that loyal. So they printed the conversations and posted them on school’s boards. In the end, Chris missed college acceptance because no teacher would write him a letter of recommendation.
5. Lies and Cheating
Liars are rejected by everybody – colleges and employers. We know that students love to overreact and to flourish everything. This is their way of making colleagues jealous. And the most lies and bragging are told on the internet, where everybody has the courage to alter reality. But be careful, the word spreads fast and soon, people will know you as a notorious liar. Next, professors hear about it, too.
For instance, Alexander used to lie all the time, just as a hobby. But one day, a bad thing really happened – his grandma died. He tried in vain to explain that this was the reason why he didn’t complete the assignment. Professors didn’t believe him; they just gave him a bad grade.
6. Where are You?
Social media platforms are well-known for instant location update. Students are crazy about going to places and posting it on the internet. Basically, all contacts know where a person is all the time. Sure, this is a way of bragging about your adventures. But have you ever thought that it is also a method of saying when you are not at home?
Example: burglars have kept up with technology and they have social media accounts, too, pretending to be everybody’s friends. They choose to break into houses they know for sure are left unattended.
7. Violence and Threats
When it comes to violence, there’s no room for jokes. Not even online. So you’d better give up on threatens and violent replies. Social media websites are always under surveillance and authorities take action against aggressors without anyone having to report them.
Here’s an actual example: Dan thought that it was safe to launch threatens online, if he had a fake ID. But police showed up next day to school and arrested him for online violence. They tracked his personal IP and immediately found the true name.
8. School Policies
Most schools have a handbook section pertaining to social media. It could include rules on what you can post, when you can post, and where you can post from. These rules vary widely. Break a school policy and it could give the school grounds to discipline or expel you.
As you can see, it is better to comply with the academic rules and to integrate as fast as possible. Otherwise, you will foolishly lose unique opportunities.
Example: Leo did not respect the college’s demands on online posting – he created an image with racist pictures. The board decided to expel him the very next day.
9. Professional Portfolio
Use social media wisely. While teenagers can fill these websites with crazy events and images, college students should think twice before bragging with their adventures. College representatives are tracking down personal Web pages belonging to candidates. Then, they reject for sure those with wild interests in parties and indecent activities.
Further on, employers are constantly checking online portfolio of their candidates. Nothing gets left out – Facebook, Twitter, and especially LinkedIn. Make sure to create a mature image, stating that you are ready to take on long-term commitments like several years of college and a full-time job.
Example: Matilda was the soul of the party during college and she loved to showcase this on her social media accounts. After graduation, she missed the opportunity of getting hired by the biggest company in the field. Employers have seen her proofs of behavior and decided that she is not capable of serious commitments.
Humans are emotional creatures by nature. It can make us post angry tweets and status updates full of hatred. You wouldn’t say these things in an interview, so why would you do it online?
When someone annoys you, the best solution is to go offline and cool down. Only come back and render an answer when you have thought about a diplomat one. In this way, your reputation won’t get hurt.
Professors and employers will appreciate down to earth replies as professional conduct, worthy of being rewarded.
For example, Randy was rejected at the job interview, because employers have found only angry replies on his social media accounts.
from Darlene Milligan http://ift.tt/1RvGNQf via transformational marketing
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