Employers And Colleges Should Be Able To Look At Social Media

Profile in Character
“That picture of you in a hot tub with a beer in your hand and two attractive females sitting next to you sure looks great as the profile picture on your Facebook page, but can it prevent you from getting a job? The answer, somewhat surprisingly, is yes” (Rainey). Everything that a person posts on the internet can be seen by anyone for any reason. The internet is not private, both friends and family can see what a person posts and so can future colleges and employers. Employers and colleges should be able to look at social media in order to monitor their employers’ and students’ social media accounts, scrutinize the maturity of the applicants representing them, and determine which applicants are worthy of the job’s position

Many others believe that businesses should not be able to monitor their employees without social media. Accordingly “More than half (53 percent) of colleges monitor social media for ‘buzz’ about their institution” (“Use of Social”). Colleges use the information they find on the internet to keep their student’s safe. Furthermore, ”one might argue that they should because such a profile reflects your ‘character’ or your priorities or your public presence” (Boyd). If someone constantly makes the decision to post something that he or she knew the entire world could see, then he or she should be able to face the consequences of an employer or college denying their application. If people want their privacy, then they should keep a journal, not post in public. “social media can also help an employer get a better sense of whether the applicant would be a good fit within the company’s culture” (Hinton 13). People post it on the internet with their name on it, whatever they say reflects on them. This serves businesses and colleges well in building a positive environment for their campus or workplace. By using social media, employers are able to see if employees are meeting the expectations of the company and the university’s

Nevertheless, “social media can help the employer obtain relevant information that enables the employer to make a more informed decision of hiring” (Hilton 13). This is a great method to see sure they are hiring loyal employees and students who have positive character. If someone is constantly posting about how much they hate a company, but then is being considered for a job there, then this posting may indicate that he or she will be less willing to put in full effort. Moreover, when it comes to college admissions, studies found that “the social networking sites had a positive impact 25 percent of the time on admission, while 38 percent of the time it had a negative effect” (Cartwright). This just shows that people are not adjusted to this being a scouting method. Once people are used to this, then they will know how to use social media properly and earn admissions or job position that they desire. In addition, “counselors who are checking social networking sites are mostly looking for content that people would find objectionable like racist comments, or would raise concerns about the student…” (Cartwright). This is a great way to ensure the safety of their student. If a teacher has a student with a history of racist remarks, then that student will likely not be welcome on campus. Employers and colleges should use social