The OBVIOUS truth about Facebook and your future

The OBVIOUS truth about Facebook and your future


It's not easy to write this...because my cool factor, whatever is left, will dwindle away after you read every word I have to say:

EVERY SINGLE POST you've ever written, shared, or other...is saved.  Remember that.


This article will be read by two kinds of people, those that think I'm saying "just don't get caught", and those that say "oh my god...be careful".  There's no PC way to talk about what I'm about to get into...it's just facts.  Facebook and other social sites put you and your family in glass houses.  

Please put down the shades, stop throwing rocks and stop making yourself lose "character value."

I'm writing this to you, to let you know that MORE PEOPLE are watching you now than ever before, and that with facebook, twitter and more..."hiding" is not possible.  Unless you set your account to private.  This is a wake-up call.



Even if you did change your privacy settings...you don't know what people are putting up on facebook and more.  You could be AT the party.  Once that shot gets uploaded...your scholarship exploded.

Here's the be smart/proactive part.
 
First:   PLEASE adjust your privacy settings on your accounts so that your ENTIRE life isn't changed...because of picture from a family party.  Go into your privacy settings and change your settings for sharing to  "Friends Only".  That is your first step.  Now, at least, people will have to ask for your friendship, and you'll have to accept, before they can see pictures of YOU or pictures YOU'RE IN.

Second: Don't put yourself in a position that could compromise your future.

In a world where privacy vanishes by the moment, mostly due to our own voluntary posting and sharing of our lives...we, the parents of our children need to understand WHAT is going on in the college application world, and WHO is looking at our children.

 Star Tribune, January 9, 2008

More than 100 kids were suspended from school from pictures on Facebook...of them partying.  Pictures were shared, students suspended...captain titles stripped, lives inevitably changed.  One party armed with Facebook proof.
 
University of Massachusetts Study, 2007
The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth concluded a study in the fall of 2007. They questioned 453 college admissions departments and found that

26% of Universities are actively researching students through search engines
21% are checking out social networking profiles like MySpace and Facebook

And that was in 2007!!! 

Do you want to know how many people are screening now?  Did you know that as of January 2011, LinkedIn (a professional Social Network Site for those looking to network for the sake of business) counts executives from all 2010 Fortune 500 companies as members; its hiring solutions were used by 73 of the Fortune 100 companies as of March 22, 2011. (from LinkedIn.com)

73 out of the FORTUNE100 companies use a social network called LinkedIn...to hire people. 

Says Thomas Farley of Fox19, and Men's Life-Today: "
"Despite how secure you believe your privacy settings to be, jobs are lost, scholarships are rescinded and relationships shattered simply because a user didn't think twice before posting"

Listen guys and gals, I'm not saying to change how you live your lives.  You're all great kids (perfect to mom and dad at least), but you know the laws...and you KNOW what you're not supposed to do.

I just don't know if you've ever done ANY research on this topic...and what I find scares me.

On top of that, even things you think are cool...a college admissions counselor could perceive as "not cool", and screen you out.  Ouch.  They won't even tell you.  So, think.

Now for you guys...the students, wake up!  I'm going to tell you how it is...and if you don't care, then mom and dad...it's up to you.  This won't be a popular quote here, but, it's not going to cool when you DON'T get a scholarship. 

The coach or admissions counselor will more than likely NEVER tell you that it was because of all of your obscene or lewd posts on facebook, your formsprings...or your pictures you keep "open" vs "private".  They won't bother wasting their time...they'll just be on to the next one. 
 
As a researcher of recruiting, and I'm only on the TIP of the iceberg, I'll share with you that many coaches we've spoken to over the last 2 years have eliminated candidates for positions on teams because of the stories they've heard that've been corroborated by their facebook or myspace page.

"MIKE!!!  WHY ARE YOU BLOWING UP MY LIFE?" Because, I kinda care about you...and don't want some picture to ruin your life.  Be smart.  It has happened, will continue to happen...just don't make the mistake now.

So, to be clear,  I have a bunch of friends on Facebook...but I would never post some of the things I've seen posted by some of you guys.  Coaches, employees...teachers, family...they're watching and consuming content all day.  Don't you think at one point your stuff will be found?  Listen, be smart, starting today.  You can't erase what you've written or shared, but be smarter moving forward. 

EVERY SINGLE POST you've ever written...is saved.  Somewhere.

I could make you the best highlight video ever, and you could have great grades...but one mistake could derail your "character", or at least its perception.

How many NBA, NFL or MLB players need to be suspended by their leagues for posting unprofessional posts on Twitter before we, the student-athletes realize..."People are watching us".   Miley Cyrus experimenting on YouTube...you can't spin anything...

YOU'RE on facebook, that is YOU. 

You can't just write whatever you want, show off any picture you feel like...dress how you want and say "well...it's MY facebook, or it's MY twitter account...I don't care!"  You sound like the guy from the JJ Wentworth Commercial...."It's my money, and I want it now!"

Just be smart.  10 years from now you could be saying to yourself..."I should never have done that".




Don't be a should-head


Michael Bucci
National Director
GetUrecruited.com