THE BUIE BAHNER
i:
CAREER
continued from page 11
While individuals certainly hold a right to their
privacy, job applicants need to ask what themselves
exactly they posted online that needs to be hidden
from employers.
Reppler, a company that offers help with social
media user’s online presence, released information
from a study done last year of more than 300 differ
ent employers explaining what companies are looking
for when searching through online profiles. Reppler’s
data shows many companies learn about a potential
applicant’s character and personality before the com
pany even offers an interview.
Reppler’s data said 69 percent of employers
rejected an applicant, even before interviewing the ap
plicant, solely because of the information available on
social media websites. Through a little bit of online
digging, 13 percent of employers were even able to
determine that an applicant lied about their qualifica-
^ tions.
More than 40 percent of applicants lie on applica
tions and resumes, according to Employment Screen
ing Resources, a background check firm.
Before the increasing influence of soeial media,
employers had to thoroughly and extensively compare
one resume from the next and then, eventually, sent
potential job candidates through grueling rounds of
interviews. If hired, the applicant was often still not
^ guaranteed a permanent position with the company
because the company needed to ensure the hire would
fit with the company’s standards.
Employers today are now able to determine if a po
tential candidate maintains the same values their com
pany represents, by comparing information presented
on paper to an applicant’s social media presenee.
Young hires have historically had a harder time
landing a job, simply beeause they lack experience
and are new to the job force. When more than 12
million Americans are unemployed, perhaps qualified
applicants should recognize a clean social media pres
ence also gives qualified applicants an even greater
ehance of landing an interview for their dream job.
The applicant posted inappropriate photos or com
ments, posted negative comments about a past em
ployer and the applicant demonstrated poor communi
cation skills all tied for second on Reppler’s survey of
reasons for employers rejecting an applicant based on
the applicant’s social media presence.
Job applicants must maintain their professional
ism. Hopeful job seekers do not need to walk around
in a three-piece suit speaking formal Shakespearean
grammar during off hours in order to relay a sense of
decency.
But job-seekers need to remember through soeial
media’s massive presence, employers now have the
ability to determine whether an applicant conducts
himself or herself with a sense of respect and grace.
Behaving foolishly during seemingly private mo
ments and then sharing such behavior with the public
easily presents an incompetent person to employers.
Uncovering an applicant’s particularly incriminating
social media account simply separates a potentially
unethical or unprincipled applicant from a potentially
suecessful and competent candidate.
Most people try to behave properly and pres
ent their best selves throughout the application and
interview process. Public social media profiles allow
employers to determine whether the respectful and
polite person they met for an interview behaves even
remotely close to the same after hours.
Media profiles are, essentially, an extension of one’s
self and employers are simply taking advantage of the
information applicants present to them through their
profiles.
Reppler’s survey also said employers rejected
potential job applicants because the applicant made
discriminatory remarks online, posted eontent about
using dmgs or drinking or the applicant shared confi
dential information about a previous employer.
Applicants must remember the majority of informa
tion posted online can be seen by the general public.
While some networking sites allow users to make
their profiles private, pictures, comments and other
incriminating information may creep into the public
view because a friend posted the content on their own
public profile.
Embarrassing photos that once sat in albums on
dusty bookshelves to share with particular fnends
and family are now shared with the world and many
employers are not impressed by what they find.
A social media presence may now seem detrimental
to one’s future, but do not fear. Just remember that a
private life was once called a private life for a reason,
everyone does not need to know about it. Put down
the cell phone and live life for yourself, not for the
general public.
ICE HOUSE
continued from page 11
As idealistic as these suggestions
may be, they would not serve the
* city’s best interests.
The plaeards would be a
frivolous expenditure, albeit a
minor one, and the museum,
while an interesting idea, would
require the costly renovations
mentioned earlier, and would
likely not bring the city the
potential revenue that other
ventures could provide.
I do not intend to belittle
the historical value of the ice
house. The ice house is part
of Asheville, and even in its
current state of disrepair, it has a
certain character. But change is a
necessary part of the River Arts
District’s ftimre as a thriving
community of merchants
and artisans, and it would be
wrong of the city to forfeit this
opportunity based solely on
historie sentimentality.
The ice house will be missed,
but its demolition will not be
without warrant.
With any luck, it will give
way to a new building that can
serve Asheville better for the
next century.
BEYONCE
continued from page 11
races in the Sugar Mamas and as back-up
singers. The content of Beyonce’s per
formance also matters. She specifically
gave the spotlight to her guitarist, Bibi
McGill. Women are not often shown as
lead guitarists in the media, so this was
likely a deliberate move on Beyonce’s
part. She also sang songs about the power
of women, such as “Independent Women
Pt. 1,’’ which honors financially
independent women.
The aesthetics of the performance also
focused on honoring powerful women.
An effigy of the fearsome and revered
Hindu warrior goddess Durga descended
onto the stage in the middle of the show.
Far from making women feel crapp
about themselves, it is clear Beyonce
aimed to celebrate and empower women
with her performance. Many of her other
performances and songs have also aimed
to do this. “Run the World (Girls)’’ cel
ebrates the idea of powerful women and
praises women for both raising children
and holding careers. The music video
for the song focuses on a group of pow
erful women of color, dominating the
world, reducing the men around them to
cowering behind body shields. “If I Were
a Boy’’ actually deals with the double
standards women face compared to
men. Anthems like “Survivor” focus on
Indeed, it is time to accept Beyonce has a right to be
confident in her sexuality and body. How people choose
to react to that is entirely up to them. Condemning Beyonce
for baring her body is puritanical.
women recovering and becoming stron
ger after being treated badly by men.
The fact is Beyonce uses her pop star
fame and riches to employ fellow women
of color in careers and positions they do
not usually get to enjoy. This shows she
is willing to put her money where her
mouth is. She is undoubtedly a smart,
autonomous woman who is trying to use
her career to empower other women. Yet
because she is wearing the equivalent of
a bathing suit on stage, all of this gets
glossed over.
Indeed, it is time to accept Beyonce
has a right to be confident in her sexual
ity and body. How people choose to react
to that is entirely up to them. Condemn
ing Beyonce for baring her body is pu
ritanical. It is true all Beyonce’s perfor
mance cannot necessarily be completely
separated from society’s “sex sells”
mentality, especially since all the women
involved in the performance had body
types considered the cultural ideal.
But it is society that should be criti
cized for promoting such an ideal, not the
women trying to make it in society. And
ultimately, the best way to turn the tables
on society is to not fall into the trap of
focusing on the perceived sexual aesthet
ics of Beyonce’s performance, rather the
substance of it — the women playing
instruments, the goddess Durga descend
ing down and overall message Beyonce
was trying to send.
Beyonce has sold more than 75 mil
lion records worldwide as a solo artist,
making her one of the best-selling artists
of all time. She has also won 17 Grammy
awards, which makes her one of the most
honored female artists to date. She has
inspired several female artists, including
Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Obviously, Be
yonce has a huge impact on pop culture,
and if she chooses to go even further
advocating female empowerment, she
could have a huge impact on women as
a whole.
Hopefully if Beyonce does choose to
do that, society will actually
focus on what she is saying rather than
what she’s wearing.