Lawrence E. Burgee
Lawrence E. Burgee, Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor
Department of Information Systems
Howard S. Brown School of Business and Leadership
Stevenson University
100 Campus Circle Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117
eMail: lburgee@stevenson.edu
Tel: 443-352-4339
 Resume/CV - Reference		 For Web Hosting
Dr. Burgee Recommends:
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The Darker Side of Facebook
Facebook: Friend or Foe? Stevenson University Professor Warns Students of Five Posts that Can Ruin Your Job Search.

Discussion Slides - Five Job Search Killers - Recommended Facebook Settings
Employers Are Watching YOU on Facebook!
Things you should NOT do or post on Facebook:
  1. Full birth date - leave out the year (identify theft);
  2. Full address - just show the town (identity theft);
  3. Religion - post NOTHING (you could be seen as a "holy roller");
  4. Political affiliation - post NOTHING (you could be seen as having an "agenda" or "axe to grind");
  5. NEVER use bad language - NO cursing and swearing (shows poor communication skills and insensitivity);
  6. NEVER "trash talk" your current or past employers (will get you fired; potential future employers will pass on you);
  7. NEVER post dirty, sexual, racial, or ethnic jokes or comments (shows insensitivity, prejudice, and/or racism);
  8. NEVER post questionable photos - NO drugs, alcohol, or dangerous or lewd behavior (shows a complete lack of judgment);
  9. NEVER post names or photos of your children, or anyone else's (Facebook is a stalker and predator's dream!; portrays you as irresponsible and shows poor judgment);
  10. NEVER post to Facebook while at work (unless you really do want to be fired).
Other things to be aware of:
  1. Carefully manage your list of friends (employers will judge you on the company you keep; if many of your friend's party too hard, this assumption will be made about you);
  2. Change your privacy settings to allow "Friends Only" to view your Facebook pages (be VERY aware of the dangers of "friends of friends" and "everyone" settings!);
  3. Kindly request that your "friends" do not tag you in embarrassing photos
    (if they do, "un-tag" yourself from the photos).
THINK ABOUT THIS if your Facebook settings are for "Friends of Friends":

If you have 100 friends, and those 100 friends each have 100 friends, there are now 10,000 people that have full access to view your Facebook page. Do you know and TRUST all 10,000 people? Could ONE of them, wish to do you harm or misuse your posts or photos?  CHANGE YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS to "Friends Only"!

Dr. Lawrence Burgee in the News

Social Media Cautions ..., MPT, Mar. 31, 2011

The Darker Side of Facebook, WBAL-TV, Dec. 5, 2010

Dr. Burgee was also interviewed about this topic by
Shari Elliker on the WBAL Radio Afternoon News Journal
on November 9, 2010.
References and Articles:

Facebook: Friend or Foe? Stevenson University Professor Warns Students of Five Posts that Can Ruin Your Job Search

Officer forced to reveal Facebook page

Maryland Takes Center Stage In Facebook Privacy Debate (contains video segment)

Six Steps for Checking Your Facebook Privacy

6 Career-Killing Facebook Mistakes

Women more cautious about social media and the workplace

Can Facebook get you fired? Playing it safe in the social media world

Can criticizing the boss on Facebook get you fired?

10 Things the HR Department Won’t Tell You

Five Ways Facebook Can Get You Fired

Young job-seekers hiding their Facebook pages

How Your Online Reputation Can Kill Jobs for You

Employers Look At Facebook, Too

Survey: More Employers Use Facebook To Vet New Hires Than LinkedIn

45% Employers use Facebook-Twitter to screen job candidates

Germany drafts law to protect Facebook users from employer searches

Facebook can ruin your life. And so can MySpace, Bebo...

How to Play Safe on Facebook - Facebook Can Ruin Your Life!

Facebook surfing while sick costs Swiss woman job

Virgin sacks the Facebook 13, BA customers stink

Skiving Aussie fingered on Facebook

Facebook Sells Your Friends

Facebook’s Gone Rogue; It’s Time for an Open Alternative

No Lie! Your Facebook Profile Is the Real You

Student’s Facebook Tirade Against Teacher Is Protected Speech

Charlotte teachers face action because of Facebook postings

Social Media Issues

Project ‘Gaydar’

Last Updated: September 6, 2011