ATTENTION Parents of the Facebook Generation - WHAT THEY POST WILL HURT THEM!!!!

Dear Parents of the Facebook Generation,

Here is a PSA for you and your future graduate.

Scenerio:  Your sweet fun loving daugther is up for her first big interview with a widely successful company.  She is wide eyed, determined to start off the ground running and has made a huge impression on her potential employer.  She has a four year degree in exactly what the corporation is asking for to fill this position.  She worked hard her four years and is ready to begin her career.

Your daugther gets a phone call from her potential employer .. letting her know that she is in the running for this position.  It is between her and another recent graduate who shows equal potential for this position.  He explains that they must perform a background check and it is apart of the hiring process.  However, he doesn't explain exactly what that entails.

Two days later, the employer calls and explains that the job was fullfilled by the other candidate. Your daughter asks for an explaination why they chose the other candidate over her.  He explains that her background check didn't come back with a favorable outcome.  Devasted and completey confused .. your daugther who has never had a incident with the law was crushed and upset over this situation.

She later learns that employers are turning to social media as an additional tool for background checks.  Unfortunately, for your daughter she had posted pictures on her facebook account of her partying and displaying lewd gestures into the camera.   These pictures had been viewed by her potential employer and cost her the job opportunity.

OK... this is real life .. this happens.  Employers are turning to social media for additional background checks.  Whether or not it is illegal or soon to be illegal... they are doing it and it is a lesson to be learned by many.

Click here:

Here is a great article discussing employers searching social media Sites for additional background screening for potential hires.

Second Scenerio:
 A Young girl applies to a Small Christian Private school for her first year of teaching.  Stellar GPA, attended church regularly, participated in her college campus intramural sports teams, worked hard to finish within the 4 year college timeframe, had attended that same small christian private school in her early education years.  She is excited to give back and be a part of the school that she attended and had made wonderful life long connections.
During her college years, she worked hard but enjoyed the social life.  Her teammates would often post pictures of her standing by the keg or in her impaired judgement flashed a quick "bird" at the camera... they posted them to her account.
During the final phase of the interviewing process, the small christian school asks to access her social media accounts to check out her bio and family pics to at some point be posted into the Christian school bulletin for her elaborate introduction.  She complies and later gets a phone call that the few posted pictures had caused quite a disturbance within their small christian community.  They dismiss her from the position due to their findings.

New graduates are finding that this is happening everywhere.   Private organizations and small businesses are especially using social media as an additional tool to screen candidates.

In investigating this further, small businesses use social media to determine whether a person has a background that would lead to future problems for a small business owner.  It could cost a small business owner several thousands of dollars if a person is hired and is determined unfit to handle certain daily operations.  Many employers want to know what type of person they are hiring before investing into them.  An average company can spend on an $8/hour employee - $1500 - $3500 indirect and direct  for hiring this individual.

For a salaried employee the cost is substantially more.

Click here to learn about the cost of hiring a new employee.


NO small Business will want to take that gamble on a stumbling drunk twenty something with signs of no self control.


For recent graduates looking to begin their careers, please keep their facebook, twitter, social media accounts in check.

In deleting a facebook account, I have learned that many times photos that have been posted will not be erased from the internet.   TRY deleting your account and re accessing it... everything will be exactly as it was when you closed it.  ANYTHING YOU POST to the internet is NOT ERASABLE.  You can search and access photos.   

SUGGESTIONS ON THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

My suggestions would be to start educating your child about selective posting of photos, information and anything that could be detrimental to his/her future.   If it's an unflattering photo.. DON't POST IT!!!  ON ANYWHERE... INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, SNAPCHAT etc.....


If they choose to keep a facebook account, then suggest opening a professional facebook account that they can give to an employer to access.  Display awards, accomplishments, post information regarding accomplishments in college etc.... EVEN POST YOUR RESUME for their REVIEW.

I would also suggest accessing business and employment social media sites such as


CLICK here for LINKEDIN


Teach them how to make connections and use social media the right way that will lead to open doors.




NOW... I FORTUNATELY did not have a facebook page when I was in the dinosaur age of college and therefore daily postings of my late night craziness does not surface it's ugly head.  Now a days, my albums are loaded with pics of my kids and family craziness.    THANK GOD!!!!

Tell me your thoughts!   Curious to know if your son or daughter has had missed opportunities due to social media!