Faculty, staff and students recently attended a conference at AU to learn about Facebook and other similar online communities and how employers have used student's profiles to screen potential candidates for jobs.
"A number of important issues were raised at the inservice," said Dean of Students Faith Leonard. "Students really need to be aware of the nature of the material that they post on Facebook."
A male School of Public Affairs student at AU said he was asked about his Facebook account when applying for a law enforcement job at a federal agency.
The interviewers asked about pictures he had posted at fraternity parties and sporting events. The also reviewed his list of friends, asking about one who had a DUI and another friend who had been arrested. They asked why he had joined certain groups, such as the College Republicans.
"They wanted to make sure I was truthful," he said, "They didn't really care what was on Facebook."
The student said he expected his Facebook account to be checked.
"There's nothing in there I want to hide," he said.
The SPA student said he thought that screening employees on Facebook is a legitimate practice.
"Your flaws might play a big role in your job," he said. "Sometimes people don't do enough to camouflage themselves."
The student said Facebook checks could be a problem for other students. "If you don't want people to know, don't put it on Facebook," he said.
An Anderson resident assistant who did not want to be identified said Facebook profiling is ridiculous.
"What people do in a college setting is very different from what they do in a professional setting," she said.
Things students did during college shouldn't be held against them in an interview, she said. Some people think it is cool to post compromising drunken pictures of themselves on Facebook.
"It's about bragging rights," she said.
Francine Blume, director of experiential education at the Career Center, said that although she hasn't heard of any incidents from AU students, employers are using Facebook to look up student's profiles. Information posted on Facebook can change employers' minds, she said.
"It's really a great way for students not to get internships."
As technology develops, we need to anticipate how it will be used, Blume said.
"This isn't something that was an issue very long ago," she said.
Career advisers have discussed Facebook issues recently, according to Arlene Hill, a career counselor at Georgetown University.
Although she hasn't heard of any incidents at Georgetown, Hill said many anecdotes have been posted on Jobplace, a listserv and the National Association of College Employers.
Although Facebook is not intended as a resource for employers, students should be aware of the image they're projecting on it, according to Hill.
Hill said Facebook privacy is an issue that should be addressed. Although students can limit who sees their profiles to other students, friends or alumni, anyone who has a university e-mail address can access the site.
"I do see it as something that may cause problems in the future," she said.
