As a college student, it is essential that you regularly check your online presence. Even though you’re still in school, the digital footprint will determine if you get your dream job or not.
For instance, it is vital to be careful as you buy college papers – get help only from the well-reputed sites, which guarantee the security of your personal data.
No employer wants to hire a professional with a messy digital footprint because this information can easily be used to bring down their business. Make sure to take necessary precautions and browse the internet with a purpose.
When you’re posting on your social media pages, bear in mind that everyone in the public domain can see what you publish. Make sure you tweak your posts so that they stay within societal moral guidelines.
You don’t have to post everything that runs through your mind because some of your thoughts are better off unspoken.
With a positive digital footprint, there is no limit to how much you can achieve. Many job recruiters today do an online background check before they consider you for a position.
Imagine qualifying for a high-paying job only to be disqualified because you were a little too wild during your college years? The worst thing about a negative digital footprint is you never know who else has seen it.
Today, reputation is a form of currency, and since the internet never forgets, our reputation is more permanent than it used to be in the pre-digital era. With search results, people can easily find out what you posted three years ago simply by entering the right search query.
Here are ten creative ways to ensure you have control over the digital footprint you leave behind.
1. Maintain Consistency and Professionalism
To make it easy on yourself, you should ensure you maintain consistency and professionalism with all the posts you make online. This means that everything you publish should be factual and truthful.
Figure out what you believe in and stick to it, bearing in mind that it should be appropriate for your mentor, parent, or boss.
In today’s informative era, you need to operate online under the assumption that nothing is private. The internet has a way of revealing information that you didn’t want to get to the public domain.
If you had made a post that you no doubt, make sure you permanently delete it before it’s too late. Avoid heated debates at all costs because anger tends to drive you into saying things you wouldn’t ordinarily say.
Also Read: 10 Areas That Project Management Students Must Concentrate On
2. Be Aware of your Reputation Online
What people say about you online matters a lot. This is not to say that you should live your life pleasing other people. The thing is, the internet has a way of turning hearsay into fact just because many people are saying it.
For instance, if people are always referring to you as a nerd online, someone who has never met, you will assume you like to read even if, in reality, you don’t.
Since you have control over your account’s functionality, adjust them so that you get notifications each time your name is mentioned in the interwebs. Being in the know helps you figure out how to control the narrative.
3. Keep your Posts Error Free
Your reputation online is also tied to how accurate your posts are. Before you publish a post, take your time to check the grammar.
People who read your posts will see your grammatical errors, and you’ll be saved in their mind as that person with petty grammatical errors.
When we talk about professionalism, it also includes self-discipline, and your post says a lot about how disciplined you are.
4. Get a Second Opinion before Uploading your Profile Picture
Since you don’t really meet people many people in person these days, the profile pictures you have online is the image that comes to people’s mind when they think of you. As they say, pictures can be used to say a thousand words.
In your eyes, the images don’t mean much because you know who you really are. However, people on the internet only know you from what you post. This is why you need to get a second opinion on a picture before uploading it as your profile.
5. Be up to Date
No one online wants to interact with a person who is not in the know. Regardless of what you’re studying in college and your field you’re looking forward to work in, there are things you just need to know. You can’t always be the guest in Jerusalem who doesn’t know Jesus has risen.
6. Be Savvy
Aside from being up to date, you also need to be savvy. What does this mean? Well, this means you should be tactical when it comes to creating your social media profiles.
You need to think about the words employers will use when looking for candidates for positions you’re likely to qualify for. Incorporate these keywords when describing your skill so that employers find you to be a suitable candidate. It’s all about playing with words, you know.
7. Be Consistent with your Contacts
You need to be part of a community where you are known by almost everyone. Surround yourself with like-minded people who do not detriment your reputation.
Maintaining consistency with your contacts makes it easier to control your narrative.
8. Close Down any Accounts you don’t use
If there is an account out there that are just lying around, you need to close it down. Leaving it unattended opens you up to a negative reputation.
Since you won’t be getting notifications on activities connected to this account, your reputation can easily be tarnished without your knowledge.
9. Showcase your Achievements
The more achievements you showcase, the better suited you appear for high-paying job positions.
Be proud of your achievements, and use every opportunity to post about them.
10. Thoroughly Check your Social Network Pages
When you periodically check your profiles, you can easily catch errors that would have come back to bite you.
Platforms are ever-evolving, and there are new settings coming up that can help you better manage your accounts.
Also Read: Lyle Advisors Shares Investment Ideas for College Students
Conclusion
Maintaining a positive digital footprint while you’re still in school ensures that you have an easy time getting a job when you graduate.
