Letters

IT was with a heavy heart that we read Rushil Puri’s farewell column a couple of weeks ago. My daughters aged 14 and 9 and I have avidly followed this cherub-faced youngster’s column, fully agreeing with all of his opinions and admiring his candour and commonsense.

It was infinitely refreshing to see Rushil display a sensitivity and humanity beyond his years that unfortunately seems to be going out of fashion with the rest of his self-obsessed generation.

Whether it was his concern for labourers, his indignation at offensive language often used so trivially or his love for animals Rushil was never afraid to speak what was on his mind.

This is a quality going extinct in this age of diplomacy and apathy. This boy certainly stands out as someone entirely special. However, he nailed it when he said that those who abuse or abandon pets to the streets simply cannot be human. 

Rushil, your philosophy of life will undoubtedly take you places. Hope and pray that it always remains with you wherever you go. 

All the very best for the new stage of university life you are embarking upon and in the career path you have chosen.

You have made an indelible mark on the Youth Talk column which will never fade. May God bless you!

Nivedita Kantipudi.

Harvard recently rescinded admission offers for some incoming freshmen who participated in a private Facebook group sharing offensive memes. The incident has sparked a lot of discussion, such as ‘was the decision justified?’ and ‘do young people know the dangers of social media?’

I’m a business school lecturer, career services counsellor and former recruiter, and I’ve seen how social media becomes part of a person’s brand – a brand that can help you or hurt you.

College admissions staff, future employers and even potential dates are more and more likely to check your profile and make decisions or judgments about you.

Here’s what you should know so you don’t end up like those Harvard prospects.

Let’s be clear about one thing: You’ve been building your online reputation since your first Snapchat. Think the posts disappear? Think private pages are private? Think again.

You might feel like your life and opinions are no one’s business, but you can’t always control who sees what you post. Every photo, video, tweet, like and comment could be screen-shotted by your friends (or frenemies). You might make a mistake with your privacy settings or post to the wrong account. And a determined online sleuth can sometimes find ways around privacy settings, viewing photos and posts you might think are well hidden.

Your profile will very likely be scrutinised by college admissions officers and employers. According to CareerBuilder’s 2017 social media recruitment survey, social media screening is through the roof:

600 per cent increase since 2006 in employers using social media to screen

70 per cent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates

34 per cent of employers found online content that caused them to reprimand or fire an employee

This trend is common with admissions as well. Kaplan Test Prep’s 2017 survey of over 350 college admissions officers found that 35 per cent checked applicants’ social media profiles. Many who do said social media has influenced their admission decisions.

So what are the potential hazards to avoid? These are some of the types of posts that left a bad impression on me when I used to recruit:

References to illegal drugs, sexual posts

Incriminating or embarrassing photos or videos

Profanity, defamatory or racist comments

Politically charged attacks

Spelling and grammar issues

Complaining or bad-mouthing – what’s to say you wouldn’t do the same to a new school, company, boss, or peer?

Remember, social media is not all bad; in many cases it helps recruiters get a good feel for your personality and potential fit. The CareerBuilder survey found 44 per cent of employers who screened candidates via social networks found positive information that caused them to hire a candidate.

From my experience, the following information can support and confirm a candidate’s resume:

Your education and experiences match the recruiter’s requirements

Your profile picture and summary is professional

Your personality and interests align with the values of the company or university

Your involvement in community or social organisations shows character

Positive, supportive comments, responses, or testimonials

Research. Both the college of your dreams and your future employer could Google you, so you should do the same thing. Also check all of your social media profiles – even the ones you haven’t used for a while – and get rid of anything that could send the wrong message. Remember, things can’t be unseen.

Bottom line: Would you want a future boss, admissions officer, or blind date to read or see it? If not, don’t post it. If you already have, delete it.

Thao Nelson.