Applying for scholarships? Google yourself first.
It is not only potential employers that are using the Internet to find information about you that isn’t stated on your resume or application. More frequently, organisations that offer scholarships are venturing online to do background checks on their applicants.
What they uncover, either the professional LinkedIn profile or public Facebook photos of you on your last tequila-filled escapade, can be the deciding factor between whether you are awarded a scholarship or not.
Teenagers, as well as their older counterparts, are becoming increasingly aware of the concept of digital citizenship — it is not only important to conduct yourself appropriately online, but also to ensure your privacy remains as secure as possible. It is not often you think of employment opportunities as a teenager beyond a good resume, qualifications and some work experience. However, as physical and digital lines blur, the choices a person makes in both realms can go further than simply being polite and sensible — instead, it can hit financially if a mistake is made.
