Have you Googled your own name recently to see what comes up? If you did you might be surprised or even unpleasantly surprised. Today it’s easy to gain insight about who people really are due to the internet and social media.
Your online reputation is becoming increasingly important as more and more corporations and universities are doing social media background checks. A survey done by Microsoft found that 70% of Human Resource professionals have eliminated a potential employee based on what they found online. The reasons were unsuitable photos and videos, badmouthing people and past employers, inappropriate comments and drinking and drug abuse.
Students need to be aware of how their actions online can hamper their chances of getting into university. If a student is irresponsible online they run the risk that the university they apply to will place some of their metrics on that profile. Roughly 24% of admissions officers say that they do look at prospective students’ social media profiles. While 24% may not seem like a very high percentage considering that in 2008 only 10% of admissions officers used social media, it is easy to see that the number is rising.
The bottom line, keep your personal life private. What you rant or rave about today may come back to impact you in ways you never imagined.
2012-02-22
You've come down with the flu or a cold. What should you do - stay home or go to work? The answer should be simple, but it's not always. Do you choose absenteeism or presenteeism - attending work while sick?
The logical answer is to be considerate and take a few days off to avoid infecting others at work. A Queen's University study found that it cost employers twice as much in productivity losses for employees who come to work while sick compared to those who stay home. Due to technology many people can work from home. If you can, do so.
Unfortunately, it's not always that simple. Sick days are not offered by all companies, and some employees can't afford to stay home and lose the income. Others feel pressured to come to work due to job insecurity or no one to cover for them at work. For some people it's not an easy call to make.
Here's some tips on what to do if you absolutely have to go to work when ill.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Use alcohol based hand wipes.
- Avoid shaking hands.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue.
- Use a clean tissue to touch door handles and elevator buttons.
2012-02-09
