Stop the Selfie….our final plea

Throughout this semester our blog has given you a few of the many reasons why we believe that young people should stop taking selfies and live in the moment. We have shared stories about how selfies can open the door to being a victim of cyber-bullying. We have discussed the dangerous trend of taking selfies while driving. We have shown you statistics that prove taking inappropriate and excessive selfies can ruin your chances of getting that dream job. We have also demonstrated that there are proven links between selfie obsession and immaturity, insecurity, and even mental health problems. All of these reasons should give even the most obsessed selfie-taker reason to pause before snapping that next picture.

I know that most of you are probably thinking to yourselves, I take a selfie now and then, but I am not obsessed and this blog doesn’t apply to me! We like to think of it this way, every minute that you are snapping a selfie, texting, or checking social media is another minute that you are not living life to its fullest. Put down the phone, lift up your eyes, and Seize the Day!

According to a study done by College Quarterly, the average college student spends over 16 hours per week on social media, that’s more time than they spend on any other activity including studying. That is 16 hours that could have been spent talking to people, playing sports, enjoying the outdoors, or any other activities that require you to look up from your mobile device and engage with the world.

http://www.collegequarterly.ca/2013-vol16-num01-winter/huang-capps.html

In fact, according to lifehack.org, if you give up selfies your life will improve in the following ways:

• You Will Be More In The Moment
• Your Self Image Will Be Healthier
• You Will Listen Better
• Your Mental State Will Improve
• You Will Be More Secure
• You Will Have A Better Attitude
• You Will Have A Real Definition Of Beauty
• You Will Be Less Offended By Negativity

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/when-you-stop-posting-selfies-these-10-things-will-happen.html

So please, stop the selfies. Make the most of your life, live in the moment, and be healthier because of it. It may seem difficult at first, but the rewards will last a lifetime.

Ok, so hopefully you have taken our blog to heart and are re-thinking your selfie obsession.   For those of you reading this that are still on the fence and not convinced that you can stop, we have saved perhaps our most compelling argument for last. What celebrities post excessive numbers of selfies on twitter? Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, and Justin Bieber……..nuff said? I would think so….

Can taking selfies ruin your chances of getting a job?

It’s hard enough to find a job these days and many job applicants may not be aware that it is a common practice among potential employers to scan social media channels to help them make hiring decisions.  In fact, a recent survey by market analyst On Device Research indicates that 91% of hiring managers use social media to screen job applicants.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/06/04/applicants-rejected-social-media-on-device-research/

Not only are employers using social media to screen applicants, they are basing hiring decisions on what they find.  The same study found that 1 in 10 applicants are rejected based on negative information that potential employers have observed on social media.  Even with these compelling statistics, 70% of Americans surveyed between the ages of 18 and 34 indicated that they were not concerned about social media hurting their chances of landing a job. That is a huge disconnect.

Most potential job applicants know enough to realize that before they apply for a job they need to go online and clean-up their social media and remove all incriminating pictures that show them drinking, using drugs, or engaging in other illegal behavior.  However, just removing incriminating pictures from social media may not be enough to ensure prospective employers that you have the maturity to fit in the workplace.

Most employers know exactly what they are looking for in an employee, and you may not realize that even the innocent selfie pictures and comments you post are actually telling employers a lot about who you are and how you think.  For example, an applicant may be surprised to learn that the smiling selfie they posted while touring Auschwitz, or the duck face selfie with the burning building in the background both indicated to a potential employer that the applicant was immature and exercised poor judgment. In addition to the types of selfies that show disrespect for sacred places and tragic events, the total number of selfies a job candidate has posted also says a lot to an employer.

In addition to wanting an employee who is mature, most companies also seek out employees that are confident and self-assured. What does it tell an employer if they observe an applicant posted 15 selfies a day in different outfits? According to Psychology Today, it indicates that the person is insecure, a narcissist, and in constant need of affirmation; which is probably not the kind of person an employer wants to deal with on a daily basis.   http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/selfies-affecting-chances-hired/

The bottom line is that every job applicant should take a look at their social media channels and view them from the perspective of a potential employer. What are your pictures and posts saying about you as a person? Are you mature, responsible, self-confident, and respectful of authority? If not, then you should consider what we have been suggesting throughout this blog, have the confidence to “Stop-The-Selfie” and live your life in the moment without the distraction of social media.

Selfie Deemed as Oxford Word of the Year for 2013

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/

Now I know what you’re thinking… its 2015, so who cares? And you’re right. But the Oxford Dictionary is the foremost source of authority when it comes to words. Therefore, when they decide the word of the year, it better be a darn important word! So when Oxford chose “selfie” as the word of 2013, they recognized the world’s obsession with the photos of themselves. Whether this is a commentary on our vanity or an ode to the digital revolution is still up for debate, but one thing is for sure: the selfie is here to stay. And to prove it, its printed in Oxford.