Online scrutiny of University hopefuls is growing.

Interesting article here

It is from the New York Times and the study discussed is towards American universities but there is no doubt similar trends exist in the UK.

Of 381 college admissions officers who answered a Kaplan telephone questionnaire this year, 31 percent said they had visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them — a five-percentage-point increase from last year. More crucially for those trying to get into college, 30 percent of the admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects.

The bottom line is people today need to realize that social media is no longer a toy to be played with. It is a tool to be utilized and maintained.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

falseprofit

I'll bet there is more than one TSR user reading this and thinking....... Oh ****! It is time to cleanse my online behavior/identity. I'm just glad they can't trace my TSR account.

Reply 2

Alfissti

Many employers do it too and some engage special companies to run a check on your online behaviour.

Once you click Submit there isn't a "Delete" to it regardless of how many times you've deleted it.

Never say anything online that you wouldn't otherwise say in person and that especially includes anything you say about an employer :smile:

Also having no online presence is as bad as having a bad online presence.

Reply 3

+ polarity -

Original post by Alfissti

Also having no online presence is as bad as having a bad online presence.

Why?

Reply 4

Xabier

Original post by Alfissti

Also having no online presence is as bad as having a bad online presence.

What's wrong with not having an online presence? People have lived fine without one for hundreds of years.

Reply 5

Kiss

I don't see why somebody's private life should count towards being awarded a position or not. I mean, if we use that same basic principle then why not select candidates on what they think instead of what they say? But nobody seems to see the difference anymore.

Reply 6

TheHistoryStudent

Original post by KingKumar

What's wrong with not having an online presence? People have lived fine without one for hundreds of years.

why go to the trouble of hiring someone you know less about (because you couldn't check their online activities) than someone you know more about & who ticks the other boxes you're after?