11.

"Facebook" and "private" should never used be in the same sentence unless the words "is not" are between the two.

In this day and age it is virtually impossible to have any form of privacy on the internet. Whether your profile is set to Friends Only or Totally Private there is no such thing as either. Ever since this social network became a household name there have been all types of warnings that say: Make your profile private, don’t befriend people you don’t know, don’t place your real name online, etc. However, rarely is advice ever given about not posting any type of revealing information. The internet is a public forum where anyone can obtain any of the information you put out.

I recently Googled my own name and found multiple sites, facts, and information about myself that I did not even know existed in cyber space. As a young professional who is about to graduate college I know that my future employers will do the same and type my name into a search bar to find some sort of information. With that said, the only things I post are only the things I don’t mind people knowing. The only things my friends and I message each other are things I would not mind if my worst enemy found out. If the need arises for me to talk about something too personal, there are these wonderful little things called telephones. They were made in the 1870s and they work wonders for growing your friendships as well as business relationships -  that’s only if you actually use them for more than just texting.

The online world may be the first impression you get to make. It may be your only chance to prove yourself worthy of the position you are applying for. Make it count.