Using Social Media Wisely
November 15, 2018 by Improvecredit
Over the last many months I have been using this space to talk about credit—using it wisely, how to improve it, and related matters. All of these topics, of course, are related to where I work, the amazing team I get to work with, and the info you came here for.
Recently, several friends’ children have been applying and getting accepted to colleges and it got me to thinking about the impact that social media has on their lives. The children of today will never know of a life without a smart phone or an iPad. These devices are powerful—more powerful that the computers that landed a man on the moon. (Yes, I’m that old…trust me, you don’t want to go there.)
What I have talked with younger friends is being careful about using those tools, especially about what they post on social media accounts. It’s there forever and a college admissions office or a potential employer may check your posts out and make judgments based on what they see.
Now, it might be humorous to share images of you and your friends having fun, but be sure to think about the long-term impact. If someone who doesn’t know you or understand the situation is just looking at the online photo, what will it tell them about you? Is that an accurate picture?
My only caution is just to be careful about what you publish. It may have been fun at the time, (especially with the benefits of an adult beverages), but is that what you want a college admission officer, a date, or boss to remember you by? Social media posts have ramifications…both good and bad.