In our current digital world, Social Media is a dominant form of communication, entertainment, and place to share ideas.

However, with this power to curate your pages and feeds comes a responsibility to have them accurately reflect what you want the world to see. Here are ten tips to clean up your social media for your job search.

1. Make any personal accounts private.
   This is the easiest way to filter who sees your content. However, keep in mind that nothing on social media is ever really private. People can screenshot or share your posts, so ensure your social media is clean.
2. Choose a nice profile picture.
   For your personal social media, it doesn’t need to be a professional headshot, but be sure to choose a picture where you are smiling and people can see you clearly. Don’t have anything ready in your camera roll? Put on a nice shirt and get some friends together to take some pictures!
3. Delete or archive any inappropriate pictures.
   Employers don’t want to see your blurry, boozy picture from the party last Friday night. Archive anything you think might give employers the wrong idea about how you would act as an employee.
4. Unfollow any questionable or controversial accounts.
   Don’t let content from other pages give people the wrong impression about you. Unfollow anything that displays something you wouldn’t feel comfortable posting on your own feed.
5. Deactivate any old accounts.
   Your Instagram account from middle school doesn’t need to be on display for everyone to see. Don’t let your old photos cover up the new content you are trying to display!
6. Google yourself!
   Observe what comes up when you search your name, that way you know exactly what employers will see. You might find accounts you’d like to delete or forgotten articles highlighting you that you can link to your LinkedIn or other professional pages.
7. Create social media pages for your professional network.
   This is perfect for creative fields but is also great for anyone looking to showcase their hard work! Photographers can display their favorite photos, or marketers can highlight their latest campaigns.
8. LinkedIn is key.
   Create a LinkedIn page that you keep updated and professional. Use it to publicize your professional growth and follow companies and people that inspire you on your career journey. For more LinkedIn tips, see our previous blog post HERE.
9. Have a professional website.
   Purchasing a domain for yourself is relatively inexpensive. Use a website builder such as Wix or Squarespace to help bring your ideas to life! Showcase your work and link this everywhere! Your social media pages and your email signature are great places to start.
10. Make sure your content represents who you are today.
    We all grow and change, especially as college students. It is an important part of life! Just make sure your pages and posts are accurate representations of the person you want to put out into the world.

Social Media has the power to inspire and connect. Make sure you are using it to leave a positive digital footprint. Showcase your best work and remove anything that doesn’t accurately represent the mark you want to leave.