Facebook on my Resume? No Thank You!

Facebook on my Resume? No Thank You!.

Facebook on my Resume? No Thank You!

This morning I was checking my twitterfeed when @mashable posted an interesting article about incorporating social media into your resume. Read it here: http://on.mash.to/vRoYY8

The article says you should make yourself transparent by linking your Twitter, Facebook page, LinkedIn and blog to your resume. Not to mention to show off your social-media savvy skills. The article made a very good point. I know one of my fellow peers, aspiring marketer and entrepreneur Micheal Doyle @michaeldoyle used a QR code placed strategically at the top of his resume, which directed hiring managers to his LinkedIn profile. Smart move and it landed him a sweet gig at EA Sports! I agree that it is important to link your social media sites to your resume (heck, I have done it) especially in the marketing industry. However, I still couldn’t help but think, my Facebook? Really? I wouldn’t be caught dead linking my Facebook to my Resume and here is why:

I use different strategies in regards to my social media accounts: Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. To me, I see these different social media sites on a spectrum ranging from personal to professional.

   Facebook

I consider Facebook very personal and this is why I protect my page with the highest privacy setting. Facebook is a place where I can share personal photos and stay in touch with friends and family. Yes, I can be seen with a glass of wine in my hand on occasion. I hardly update my status, but when I do, it will be something a bit more personal. My target audience is not an employer; my target audience is my friends and family.

  Twitter

My Twitter is in the middle of this spectrum: where personal meets professional (perhaps even a bit more on the professional side).  My Twitter is aimed to be strategic in terms of my interest in marketing. I follow marketers, and advertising agencies, with the few exceptions of great band and musicians, ski resorts and tennis clubs. Of course my tweets will show my personality, but it also allows me to interact with Industry professionals that I have never met and companies that are on the other side of the world. Ya right would I ever accept a friend request from someone I do not know on Facebook, but I would definitely follow someone I did not know on Twitter. In fact, many of my friends do not have a Twitter account. The reason that I am on Twitter is not because of my friends or family, but the interesting content that is shared from people, companies and industries that interest me.  I would follow a supervisor on Twitter, but I would hesitate before adding a boss on Facebook.

    Linkedin

Then there is Linkedin, the most professional social media site, because it’s very nature is targeted at and for the professional world. I post past employers, the specific industries and areas I am specialized in and the skill set I have to offer. One of my friends, Liz Christie (http://linkd.in/vSXBZ8) worked for an executive search firm this past summer and they praised the importance of Linkedin in the professional world. It is one of the main methods they use to headhunt potential candidates.

I would link my Twitter and Linkedin to my resume. In fact, I already have done so, but I would leave my personal Facebook profile off of my cover letter or resume. However, if you do want to show your Facebook skills, I would create a professional Facebook page, similar to the company pages that appear on Facebook. This way you can separate personal and professional, while still showcasing your social media talents!

In final analysis, if you are interested in a career in marketing, an online presence is starting to become necessary. However, I believe Facebook is a social media website that is still considered to be very personal for many people. I would leave my personal Facebook page out of any resume.

This is my opinion, but I am just a lowly student and have never been on the hiring side of things.

With that being said…

Attention! All hiring managers of today and tomorrow:

What do you think?

Four Irish Lads, a College Party and the Power of Twitter

Here I am studying for my e-commerce course, reading about the power of social media and instead of studying theory (boring), I decided to whip up my first blog post on the topic itself (Ask me later, what grade I receive on my upcoming midterm).

As I went for a study break, Danielle Mathews’ @daniellem7, my lovely Irish and PR Savvy mate, brought to my attention an interesting trending topic on Irish Twitter. She told me told me about four students that attend her home Uni, Dublin City University (DCU) and were charged 3,000 Euro and evicted from the campus housing for hosting a party.

The four boys decided to use the power of Twitter to help them fight the charges and interesting enough #savethehampstead4 instantly started trending on Irish twitter overnight. Joe.ie, a popular source for news in Ireland even got wind of the story and wrote about it, http://bit.ly/vhULPv or http://bit.ly/uef0Hy.

Will the Power of Twitter Save Them?

My Predictions: Life Isn’t Fair

The question behind the campaign asks if Twitter can indeed  #savethehampstead4. Will they get the justice they, along with thousands of others, feel they deserve? Twitter has allowed these boys to reach thousands of people and ask them for support. It shows the power of social media in today’s day and age, but will it accomplish what they want it to? It is the severity of the charges that is the focus point of #savethehampstead4 campaign, but perhaps the harsh punishment is exactly what DCU wants to exemplify. The twitter campaign screams “This is not fair,” and I have a feeling that DCU will respond saying: “Life’s not fair.” AKA – Don’t party.  Will this severe crackdown stop college parties? Probably not in the long term, but it will certainly show the powerful stance they can take and show that they are in charge. Although my predictions are thrown in the bucket, it will be interesting to see how the campus reacts to the large uproar regarding the topic.  What about you, new readers? What are your thoughts?

On the lighter side of things…

Some Tweets about the topic that made me chuckle:

@ruairi_oneill : @Schwarzenegger @DavidHasselhoff @Joey7Barton its gonna take real men to #savethehampstead4

@ConorKeegan91 : @Davgav6 question is… was it a good party? #savethehampstead4

The Hamstead4 also posted a video on Youtube, with a Fresh Prince of Bel Air spin on their story. Although their youtube fame does not quite parallel the extent of their Twitter campaign, it is entertaining nonetheless: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRP8cFG6qxA.

Hello world! Stef here.

Hello World!

My name is Stefanie, but you can call me Stef for short – spelled with an f, not a ph, hence the name of my blog. This summer I told myself that I was going to start a blog, but never did. Basically, I was one of those flaky girls who said she was going to do something, but didn’t. Well, it is now November, and I have finally started my blog. And what might this blog be about? Well, I would like to think of it as a little bit of an oxymoron, as it is somewhat specific, but rather vague at the same time. I brand it: all things marketing, which is what I aspire to be. A little bit about myself? I love white powder! No – not that stuff – the white powder that covers the mountains in the winter and I love to ski down it. I also love to uncover new cultures and languages. Currently, I am living in Istanbul, Turkey.

That’s enough about me for now. Hope you enjoy the posts that will follow!

Cheers,

Stef