Let’s talk social media.

Do you cringe every time you look at your Facebook posts from middle school? The rest of the world does, too.

Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to have less of a #YOLO attitude about what you’re posting.

A study by the Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 84 percent of employers recruit via social media, and 43 percent of employers screen job candidates through social networks and search engines.

Need a job after graduation? Listen up.

Start from square one.

Delete the posts you wouldn’t want your parents to read. For. Real.

Don’t forget the tagged posts from your friends! Guilty by association is absolutely a thing when employers are looking at your page.

To be safe, turn all your previous posts to private and individually change those you want showcased to public. Be selective! Because employers will be.

Stranger Danger

Don’t add anyone you don’t know. ‘Nuf said.

Apply a filter … to your words.

Start building a profile you would be comfortable with employers reading. Clean up your grammar. Download Grammarly on your phone or computer to make sure everything you type is mistake-free. Avoid cursing in general.

Private may not be your best option.

If hiring managers can’t find you online, it screams sketchy. It looks like you either have something to hide or nothing to show.

Often times, employers are impressed if you have a well-managed LinkedIn or Twitter.

However, if you feel uncomfortable with having your Instagram on public, just make sure there is at least one social media account that is open so employers can find it when they search you.

Digital Citizenship

PROTIP: Log out of your social media and take a look at your profile from a public perspective.

Look for things you didn’t think about before and practice getting in a habit of proofreading your social media before you post anything. A little effort will go a long way.

Also, remember all members of the OSU family are encouraged to follow these digital citizenship tips when online.

Happy posting!

Keep it clean, Cowboys.