Beyond incriminating photos

The media platform known as social networking is no longer just a tool for procrastination or a collection of embarrassing pictures. Social networking sites are now important resources for job information and potential employers.

Nearly every college student is a member of one of the popular social networking sites, such as Facebook or Twitter. However, networking sites are also being used by staff members seeking to create stronger professional connections for themselves and students.

Many social Web sites include professional and scholastic tools that help people of any age create valuable connections for future opportunities.

Michael Profita, director of Career Services, explained the variety of new media resources available to students. While sites like Twitter and Facebook are useful, there are more efficient professional options.

"One of our most viable resources is the Skidmore group in LinkedIn ... LinkedIn is the preferred networking site for professionals," he said.

LinkedIn is a media site focused on the professional world.

Students can access and create a LinkedIn account from the Skidmore Web site.

"We encourage people to join the group. It is quite large-- there's around 2,000 members in it right now," Profita said.

LinkedIn allows users to post resumes and recommendations, meet potential employers or find available connections.

"LinkedIn is really useful for students and alums as a mechanism to meet or educate people about themselves and connect them to opportunities," Profita said.

While sites like Facebook contain endless personal information, professional information is scarce.

"LinkedIn gives more detailed information, it's not easy to find people by career field on Facebook," Profita said.

The job searching process is difficult for any student or graduate, but new tools can improve an applicant's chance of success.

"If you can find someone on the inside who will work for you, you're going to have a better chance to get that internship," Profita said.

Graduates today need as many connections as possible and Career Services views LinkedIn as one viable way to create these contacts.

While the more mainstream social networking sites are not being used much by Career Services, they are still a valuable resource for the college.

The college's Strategic Office of Communications has branched out into the realm of social media. The Office focuses on both the student centered Facebook and other professional media sites.

Dan Forbush, executive director of Communications, explained some of the new ventures the Office is currently working on.

"We are currently developing a social networking tool that will be targeted towards alumni communications. Imodules.com is a content management platform. It's a sophisticated tool being used by many colleges and universities," Forbush said.

This new tool is integrated with Facebook and will be available to alumni and also to seniors when they graduate.

Forbush explained that they are working with several different types of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others. Magnify.net, created by Steve Rosenbaum '83, is another site used on campus.

"The great thing about social media over conventional Web sites is that social media is engaging, it allows us to communicate with an audience in new ways," he said.

When the class of 2012 was accepted, the Facebook group created to connect the future classmates allowed students to meet each other and ask questions.

While administration was not involved in this group they were determined to be more prepared for the class of 2013.

Joe Yanks '11 was so influential in the 2012 group that the office hired him as an administrator to answer questions for students.

"The Skidmore group has become a great resource; you can post a question and the answer benefits everyone, one answer can reach hundreds instead of just one," Forbush said.

Both Career Services and the Office of Strategic Communications are primarily trying to benefit students and the Skidmore institution.

"We would like to explore and tap into the creativity of Skidmore students, we want to pull more student work onto the Web site and make it available for the public. We still have a lot of questions on how to use new media and we would like student input," Forbush said.

Profita, Forbush and a large body of alums encourage students who are not yet utilizing social networking to do so. "We get many alums who come back to us who say they wish they would have utilized our resources and done more to promote their careers," Profita said.