Social media is a way many people can stay connected. Using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to post pictures of a latest vacation or thoughts on what’s going on in the world isn’t out of the ordinary.

However, career counselor Krittika Chatterjee knows the trouble social media can cause with potential employers.

“You don’t know who your employer is,” Chatterjee said. “A potential superior could be looking at your profile and have the opposite view from you. Don’t post anything that can be used against you.”

Employers don’t want to see party and beach pictures either, Chatterjee said.

“It doesn’t matter if it looks appropriate to you, just take it off,” Chatterjee said. “Employers don’t need to see it.”

Sophomore advertising major Taylor Goudy doesn’t keep her social media private, but she is very cautious about what she posts.

“I am active on social media. I don’t have anything to hide,” Goudy said. “I don’t swear or post anything with alcohol in it.”

Chatterjee suggests that students make use of the networking social media can provide, but to use discretion, especially on Facebook.

“If there’s one thing you keep private, make it Facebook,” Chatterjee said.

She suggests making use of Facebook’s privacy settings. The advanced settings allow users to put their friends into lists.

On one list people may be able to see everything while another list is filtered. Chatterjee suggests keeping a separate list for family, friends and co-workers.

Sophomore fashion merchandising major Carissa Vandyke recently changed her Twitter to private to be more cautious.

“I was never careful about what I tweeted and I wanted to change who could see it,” Vandyke said. “I didn’t want any future employers to see anything.” 

While social media can cause a lot of problems, it can also be used as a networking tool to connect with potential employers.

LinkedIn is a social media site dedicated to helping people network with others in their field and build professional connections.

“A majority of employers are using LinkedIn to recruit job candidates,” Chatterjee said. “Use it to network and get to know people.”

Facebook and Twitter can also be utilized as a networking tool, if done correctly.

Chatterjee suggests using the 75/25 rule when looking for a job: make 75 percent of your profile about the job you are looking for and follow pages and interact with people in your field. Use the other 25 percent for personal, but appropriate content.

Keeping a profile primarily professional lets potential employers see that an applicant is up to date and knows about the field.

“In this age, so much (is) public and so much happens online,” Chatterjee said. “It’s definitely a benefit to use social media, but use it responsibly.” 

Maggie Wachtel is the finance reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].