I was an orientation leader for the freshman students this past summer. We do an activity called the Social Barometer. The two OL's say a statement and then the students go to a designated side of the room where there is a sign saying "Strong Agree, "Strongly Disagree", "Agree" and "Disagree". If you came to freshman orientation here a Bridgewater, you probably remember it.
One statement that always caused a great deal of controversy was "College Administrators should be policing my facebook page".
People typically either felt really strongly in agreement or very strongly in disagreement. My partner and I were not allowed to voice our opinions at all during the entire exercise-which was impossibly hard- being extremely opinionated.
I personally though, feel like they should not be policing our facebooks. If I accept you as a friend it is then my responsibility to be aware of the things that I put online. HOWEVER, the word policing dictates that they are going on there looking for something wrong with the intention of taking action when they do find something.
We are in college. We partake in "college" behavior. I do not think that should make people think any differently of me or anyone else on a professional level. What I write in a resume is me on a professional level, what I put on facebook is me on a social level. The two don't need to be seen on the same scale right now in my life.
When I go to find a job after college, I realize jobs can look at what I have done and scan through my pictures. However, I am not ashamed or trying to hide anything I have done in college. If they wouldn't want to hire me based on the parties I went to when I was in college, then I guess so be it, thats trivial and will be-in my opinion- irrelovent then.
You know, I have heard of some campus police of literally just browsing facebook's just for the sole purpose to look for underage drinking and drug use. Obviously, I don't think it is right for them to do that!
ReplyDeleteEver since I have had my facebook, I have NEVER posted ANY pictures of me partying hardcore, smoking weed, naked or w.e. haha While I do have a few pictures of me with a single beer in my hand, I feel anything worse than that is fine. I mean, even in those pictures, I just have a beer in my hand at the beach, a restaurant with family, etc. Nothing big that will hurt my reputation for applying for jobs.
So, I definitely agree with you, since I can be opinionated as well!
I completely agree with this. It isn't fair that jobs and schools can look at our Facebook page and then make a decision on whether we are good workers or students based on that. Facebook is a "Social Networking" site, not a professional office.
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