With the internet readily available employers are beginning to look to Facebook as their way to background check future employees. Facebook is full of the information that future employers are looking for and it is the best way to access the information. The one being looked at may not be as happy about this research. To most people, Facebook is a private area that they wish to share only with their friends and families. There are many pictures or updates that may influence a possible employer and as stated in the article, many employers change their views of a prospected employee after looking them up on the internet. Creating a page on Facebook is an ideal way to show any future employer exactly what you want them to see.

Like my fellow Forestry classmate, Pierre, I have created a Facebook page that is basically my online resume that informs potential employers about my past work experience. This is a great way to present yourself to a future employer and is a valuable social networking area. Many jobs are now posted on Facebook and this is a convenient way to quickly share information about yourself. 

Hello, my name is Sara and I am in my second year of Forestry. I grew up in a family that valued the outdoors. We went hiking, camping, fishing and so much more and I loved every second of it. Throughout high school I knew that I wanted to do something outdoors and with animals but I had no idea about what I wanted to do specifically. I have always been very environmentally conscious but somehow found myself working in the lab at a pulp mill a few months after I graduated. I quickly began to realize these industries that I thought negatively about are essential for society today and the people there were working to limit their impact way more than the government regulated. Soon I became very interested in the environmental operations and quickly advanced as far as I could in that position. I realized that I needed to go to school so that I would be able to advance in my career choice.

(picture from http://iversonforest.com/)

I am excited to begin this career because I aim to educate people on the forest industry. It is a common misconception that forestry is an evil industry that wishes to destroy our forests. In reality, foresters are more concerned about the environment than people believe. This is our career, if there are no forests then we do not have a job. Communication is key for this career objective. I need to learn how to apply my knowledge and inform/correct the misconception of the forestry industry today. It is vital that I learn to communicate my message clearly so that society can begin to form a new understanding of forestry. For an article written about public perception of the forestry industry click here

I agree with Meaghan in that communication is an essential tool for every individual in any industry to posses. Although we are in different fields of work and have had different experiences we have developed a need for the skill of communication. While working at the pulp mill I had to deal with many forms of communication and confrontation and it is important to know how to deal with everything that comes at you in a professional manner. Management at the pulp mill relied on me to inform them of potential situations and ideas on how to improve our process and it was very important that I was able to clearly explain my thoughts and ideas. I am very excited to learn new methods through this ALES 204 course and I hope I will be able to integrate social media into my future career.