College Students: Four Easy Steps to Clean Up Your Facebook Page Before the Big Interview

I’m usually pretty liberal with the conent that I allow on Facebook – this is mostly because I’m a 37 year old married father of two, not a 21 year old about to graduate from College. The most scandelous photos that I’m tagged in usually involved baby vomit,  not me vomiting at a frat party.  However, when a photo popped up of my brother and I after having thrown back a few at a Villanova homecoming weekend (circa 1993?) It dawned on me that some photos that upcoming College graduates have on their current Facebook pages may not be as appropriate as others, and perhaps it was worth taking a closer look. So I started to poke around and found something really refreshing:  Facebook is making it easier for us to curate our content.  In this instance “curating” is just nice way of saying – delete all of the pics you don’t want your future boss to see.   Phew! Here are three easy steps to help you curate away:

1. Visit Your Activity Log to See Photos Your Tagged In

Facebook Privacy Settings

2. Click Around Your Activity Log – to see photos you’re tagged in 

Facebook Privacy Settings

3.  Use “Shared with” and “On Timeline” Filters to See Things You’ve Hidden From Your Timeline

Facebook Privacy Settings

 4.  Spot Something You Don’t Like? DELETE IT!  

Facebook Privacy Settings

Please share this with ANYONE seeking employment and who is concerned about years of bad behavior popping up pre-interview.  I’ll leave you with this little gem of a statistic –

51% of recruiters search candidates online to determine whether they will fit with the company culture (source: Qnary).

So if you think they’re not checking out all of those pics from High School and College BEFORE you even step foot into the interview, you’re sorely mistaken.  Curate away! Happy Holidays.