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THE DIAMONDBACK | spring career guide | monday, february 25, 2013
online From PAGE 7 to be on the safe side, there are a few online services out there that can help. Reppler.com, for instance, will sift through your social media accounts and raise flags for things an employer might not like. Mullins said the site recently sent her an email because someone had posted a video on her Facebook wall with the word “beer” in the title. “It’s a judgment call for you whether you want to keep it there or not,” Mullins said. “But it alerts you and keeps you aware.” 3. “Blast” social media This is where LinkedIn enters the picture. Yaros surveys his classes every semester and only about 2 percent of his students have LinkedIn accounts. However, he said it pays off to open an account as a freshman or sophomore and start collecting recommendations from teachers and work samples. “By the time you graduate, your e-portfolio will be in pretty good shape,” he said. Along with serving as a sort of living resume, LinkedIn is a great tool for informational interviews
and employer research, said Erica Ely, Career Center internships program director. You can use it to find and talk to people in your field about what to expect or what a typical day looks like. In particular, many university alumni are excited to talk to current students, Ely said. Many companies and organizations also have LinkedIn pages, so
you can find employee statistics and “it’s really important, once you follow [university information about where people worked before and after they got a alumni on linkedin], not to be a silent follower.” job at a particular company. MICHELLE LOPEZ-MULLINS University Career Center spokeswoman Whatever social media you use, the key is interaction. These tools give you the opportunity to demon- interested in. questions they ask. Ask them “It’s really important once you questions.” strate how engaged, hardworking and knowledgeable you are to people follow them not to be a silent folalready working in a field you are lower,” Mullins said. “Answer the newsumdbk@gmail.com