{"id":11572,"date":"2026-02-17T10:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/?p=11572"},"modified":"2026-02-16T08:46:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T14:46:01","slug":"how-social-media-can-affect-your-potential-to-be-hired","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/how-social-media-can-affect-your-potential-to-be-hired\/","title":{"rendered":"How Social Media Can Affect Your Potential to Be Hired"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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As a recent college graduate stepping into my first year of the professional world, one of the biggest realizations I\u2019ve had is how much social media actually matters. In college, posting felt casual and personal, pictures with friends, funny tweets, or random opinions shared without much thought. But after graduating and starting to apply for jobs, I quickly learned that social media is no longer just \u201cfor fun.\u201d It has quietly become part of my professional identity.<\/p>

At first, I didn\u2019t really believe people when they said employers check social media. I assumed hiring managers were too busy or only focused on r\u00e9sum\u00e9s and interviews. But after speaking with mentors and attending career workshops, it became clear that many employers do look. From their perspective, it almost makes sense; they want to know who they are bringing into their organization. A social media profile can reveal communication style, interests, and even how someone handles conflict or criticism. Ignoring that information could mean overlooking important insight into a candidate\u2019s character.<\/p>

The truth is that employers are likely going to look at whatever is publicly available. Even if profiles are private, tagged photos, comments, or older posts can still be found. This realization made me start asking myself an important question: What would an employer take away from looking at my social media?<\/em> That question alone changed how I approached posting. It didn\u2019t mean I had to erase my personality or stop sharing parts of my life, it just meant being more intentional. There\u2019s a difference between being authentic and being careless.<\/p>

I\u2019ve also noticed that social media can actually work in a graduate\u2019s favor when used correctly. Platforms like LinkedIn allow new professionals to showcase internships, volunteer work, certifications, and projects that don\u2019t always fit neatly onto a resume. Even creative platforms like Instagram or TikTok can highlight skills such as graphic design, public speaking, or marketing. For someone just entering the workforce with limited job experience, these spaces can become digital portfolios that demonstrate initiative and passion.<\/p>

On the other hand, I\u2019ve become more aware of how easily social media can harm both an individual and a company\u2019s reputation. Complaining publicly about previous jobs, posting offensive content, or engaging in heated online arguments can raise red flags for employers. Companies want employees who understand that their online behavior can reflect on the organization. As a first-year graduate trying to build credibility, I\u2019ve learned that professionalism doesn\u2019t stop once you log off your work computer.<\/p>

Overall, social media is powerful. It can either strengthen or weaken a new graduate\u2019s chances of being hired. Entering the workforce has taught me that my online presence is an extension of my resume and my personal brand. Employers are not necessarily expecting perfection, but they are paying attention. Being mindful, respectful, and intentional online doesn\u2019t take away individuality; it simply ensures that what\u2019s being presented aligns with the professional future I\u2019m trying to build.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaliah Spencer\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Maliah is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University and is continuing her education to obtain her MBA. She is highly involved with the campus community, serving as both an Assistant Resident Director and a Career Services Graduate Assistant.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a recent college graduate stepping into my first year of the professional world, one of the biggest realizations I\u2019ve had is how much social media actually matters. In college, posting felt casual and personal, pictures with friends, funny tweets, or random opinions shared without much thought. But after graduating and starting to apply for… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1730,"featured_media":11577,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[29425],"tags":[76584],"class_list":{"0":"post-11572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-blog","8":"tag-advice","9":"entry"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-29 11:25:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1730"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11572"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11580,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11572\/revisions\/11580"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/career-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}