Social Websites Can Boost Student CareerOpportunities

Written by Lauren HopkinsMonday, 16 November 2009 16:51

High paying professional job opportunities for college students are dismal. Notonly are these social networking sites beneficial to Georgia Southern students,but also to employers seeking applicants for their positions. ³Today, employers use Google as a background check on applicants before aninterview. One question that a student shouldn¶t be surprised about gettingasked in a job interview is: When you leave here today, I am going to look youup in Facebook and Google your name. How will my impression change?´ said Assistant ProfessorBarbara Nixon.Nixon is an insightful and communications consultant that is well versed in social media. She is onFacebook, PrOpenMic, Twitter, LinkedIn and her blog, called ³Listening Matters and Public RelationsMatters.´ ³When students join and participate in social media sites, they can broaden their worldviews. Someeven make connections that can help lead to internships and careers,´ said Nixon. Nixon requiresstudents enrolled in her public relations practicum and publication classes to join social networkingsites such as LinkedIn and Twitter for this reason. ³Twitter is short, instantaneous, concise, 140-character status updates that tells your followers whatyou are doing,´ said Information Specialist Michelle Groover.Groover is also a public relations professor who teaches public speaking and public relations writing.Groover is on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as well.LinkedIn is a web site that anyone can join to network with professionals in a specific field. Anindividual can list his accomplishments, experience, education, and resume, which will lead tointernship and job opportunities. ³LinkedIn allows you to get recommended and connect with people you know from your employmenthistory along with people that you are currently networking with,´ said Groover.There are many professionals on Twitter that will give students advice on their college careers andwhat that field is like on a daily basis to prepare students for the work force. Twitter and LinkedIn arethe top social networking sites students should join to gain competitive edge and to network withprofessionals before graduation. ³It only makes sense to incorporate social media with technology becoming part of our daily routine,´ said senior public relations major Amy Gemmel. Gemmel utilizes Twitter, LinkedIn and PROpenmic forher networking skills along with searching for internships and jobs in her field of study. ³You¶re eventually going to need to communicate with someone in the professional world about aninternship or job opportunity. Wouldn¶t it be easier to talk to someone that you are already familiar