Social media etiquette for admissions

Are you one of the 500 million Twitter users out there? How about one of the 955 million Facebook users? If you know the value of networking, you are probably one of the 175 million users on LinkedIn, too. There is no question that social media has captivated the world. While Facebook and Twitter are primarily used to maintain contact with friends and family, they are becoming increasingly important to undergraduate and MBA admissions.

As you move forward with your life after high school, your social media accounts will be scrutinized. With the advancement of technology comes new ways of evaluation. Admissions officers are increasingly using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to get to know applicants better. It is best to make sure that you have a clean and professional profile. Remove incriminating pictures, tweets or statuses that you might regret, and anything that may reflect poorly. If some of those pictures just can’t be taken down, ensure that they are private (and double-check that they are).

Your time in high school, college and the working world is an opportunity to experience new things and enjoy the company of friends. It can be tempting to show off who you really are and to try and be tagged in as many photos, or express as many firm opinions, as possible. Remember that your information is available to all of the Internet. Review your tweets, photos, statuses, likes and public messages as if you were an admissions officer, and remove anything that may hinder your chances at acceptance. You should also upload a professional-looking profile photo instead of one from your weekend at the beach.

Particularly for MBA admissions, it is smart to build a professional LinkedIn profile. Job recruiters and business school admissions officers agree that LinkedIn is a primary source of applicant research and as a staffing alternative. Your LinkedIn work history should match your résumé, and emphasize the skills and experiences that steer you towards your current career goals.

Social media can also also be a strong networking tool. All of your contacts are organized for you. It may be tempting to friend everyone you meet, as many Facebook users do, but make sure your LinkedIn contacts are professional. You never know when you may contact someone, or when one of your contacts may reach out to you for help. MBA recruiters can see your entire network and whether you are connected with alumni or students at their program.

Make sure you use these tools with respect and have fun with them. It is perfectly fine to use the privacy settings embedded in each network; all of us try to separate our social lives from our lives at work in some ways. Just be sure to be yourself, and put your true self out there!