by Megan Fingert
From our choice of words to the way we dress, young professionals are constantly putting out an image to the people around us. Like a company or a high-profile celebrity, we must make sure that we are always portraying the sort of image that we want others or publics to have of us. These images sometimes change as our audience changes, but we naturally wish to show consistency in our social behaviors.
As a student who grew up in the digital age, you’re aware that it’s easier now more than ever to constantly be putting out an image, whether that is in a short Tweet or a picture you just posted to Facebook. If you’ve just picked a new profile picture or are simply walking through the Union, someone is bound to be looking and listening--and that someone could be a potential employer or network! Don’t doubt the ability of one remark to ruin your image and cost you the job.
It’s important that as you develop your personal “brand” (something you can learn about from our keynote speaker Kyle Lacey at Career Week) that you avoid having negative ideas attach to that brand. As a PR student, it is my job to understand how to create positive connotations and how to minimize and eradicate negative ones. Here are three personal PR blunders I hope you can avoid.
1.Solo Cups in your Profile Picture
While it’s still very easy to keep your Facebook private, one thing that always shows no matter your privacy settings is your profile picture. Because Facebook is constantly updating and changing, it comes up first in an online search if someone Googles your name. If a potential employer decides to click just out of curiosity, even the most locked-down Facebook profile will show your default picture.
So, to avoid making a bad impression, always have a profile picture that is conservative and mature. A picture of you doing a keg stand isn’t going to send your resume to the top of the stack and neither is the picture of you looking incredibly inebriated, scantily clad and holding a red Solo cup. Instead, pick a picture of you dressed nicely with friends or at a dressier occasion like a formal or wedding. These sorts of pictures will make you appear more mature and more appealing as an employee.
2. Having Loud, Inappropriate Personal Conversations
I can’t tell you how many odd things I’ve overheard while enjoying Starbucks in the Union or studying in the HSSE library. I often wonder as I catch short snippets of conversations across campus why people choose to have certain conversations in public, especially those of explicit or gossip-y nature.
With the sorts of visitors we have on campus it isn’t wise to talk about your make-out session with a cute boy at the party last night or how you think Jill is well, something that starts with the letter “b.” There are campus recruiters, local business owners, and important organization leaders everywhere around us.
We are so lucky that Purdue brings these sorts of visitors to us as resources, but we must make sure we’re on our best behavior, for the sake of our professional image and Purdue’s. Keep private conversations private, on campus or anywhere else!
3. Constantly being Late
This blunder is so important not to make when it comes to just about, well, anything! You should always strive to make it to appointments, class, meetings and work on time. I don’t think there’s a faster way to tarnish your image than by constantly being late.
While sometimes emergencies arise, it is important to know the impact of being late to events. It says to the leader or organizer of the event that you don’t find them very important. It says that you are disinterested in attending. It also shows a general lack of disrespect towards everyone connected to the event. Being on time and showing up prepared speaks volumes about you as a professional. It shows that you are engaged and anticipating the meeting or interview. It shows that you respect the organizers and that you are going to be an active participant in the program.
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