Social Media Takes College + Career by Storm

Cause and Effect

In just the past ten years, social media has taken the world by storm and completely changed the way industries approach the hiring process, as well how college students approach becoming career-ready and going out into the world post-graduation. These effects are both positive and negative through social capital gain, offering new types of jobs and internships, and creating a new way for interviewees to be evaluated.

Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, which have all been released or became extremely popular in the past ten years, have become a major part of the majority of everyone’s daily lives. From scrolling when bored, to reading the news, social media has impacted almost everyone in some way, especially college students specifically. 

College, which is currently filled with students at the cusp of Generation Z, has been heavily influenced by social media. It has not only impacted the way college students see the world, but it plays a major role in how they prepare for their careers. 

To start, social media has impacted students' social capital. According to an article by David C. DeAndrea and a research study influenced by Nicole B. Ellison, social media has contributed to students’ social capital which “broadly refers to social resources that people accrue through their relationships with others." Due to social capital, students can have larger networking webs, which could ultimately lead to more connections for job offers in the future. Although networking has always been an important component in college, it has literally become a resource right at students’ fingertips.

Furthermore, social media has created hundreds of new jobs and internships for recent college graduates and current college students. By doing a quick Google search it is evident that social media has opened a lot of doors for recent college graduates seeking jobs related to social media. After searching “social media jobs,” results like “Social Media Coordinator,” “Social Media, Corporate Communications,” and “Social Media Strategist” are listed as results. Jobs, that ten years ago, wouldn’t have even been thought up yet. So, for college students studying areas related to Communication, Marketing, Advertising, or something similar, have way more opportunities.

On the flip side though, social media has negative effects when it comes to career, which is something that all college students should be aware of. For example, according to an article by Alice E.M. Underwood, social media can be dangerous when out on the job hunt, especially for new graduates who may have posts that aren’t exactly work-friendly. During the interview process, employers may attempt to look at candidate’s social media, so it is important to be cautious and recognize the negative effects, as well.

Some may say that social media isn’t important or doesn’t affect culture in such a critical way, especially since social media is a fairly recent thing. But with social media becoming more prominent and even causing a generation gap, having college students who understand it is critical to helping close that gap. If anything, social media affects college’s culture and that should be evident.

In conclusion, social media has many effects, both positive and negative, that impact college students as they prepare for their careers. Recognizing and understanding these effects is significant to success, especially since social media will play an even bigger role in society. 

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Sources:

DeAndrea, David C, et al. “Serious Social Media: On the Use of Social Media for Improving Students' Adjustment to College.”The Internet and Higher Education, vol. 15, no. 1, 2012, pp. 15–23., doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.05.009.

Alice E.M. Underwood https://meetingjobs.com/9-things-avoid-social-media-looking-new-job/

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