As reported on Mashable, “Syracuse University has purchased six-month subscriptions to Brand-Yourself.com’s online reputation management platform for all 4,100 of its graduating seniors.” In my opinion this is a win, both for Syracuse University and the class 2010.

As many graduates approach the great migration from college to the real world, some are beginning to clean up their social media profiles, however, many are not.  “According to a recent study by Cross-Tab Marketing services, 75% of HR departments worldwide are required to screen job candidates online,” quotes Mashable. Social Media is rapidly becoming just as important as a GPA, but this isn’t a new concept. Carrot’s CEO Robert Gaafar and President Mike Germano both taught classes about Online Reputation Management at Quinnipiac University. The course, then in 2008, consisted mostly of Google Search results and Facebook Profile management.  Because, let’s face it, most employers don’t enjoy seeing a potential employee do keg stands (well, except for Carrot).  But now it’s more than just Facebook and Google; recruiters are now actively looking for the music you listen to, the videos you post, the tweets you make, or the bars you check-in to. Now is the time to switch the tides, students.

Personal social media management should no longer be just about crisis management and Natty Light untagging; personal social media management can work in your favor. As businesses begin branding and communicating in the realm of social media, they are looking for people who are familiar with the space and how it operates. That doesn’t necessarily mean keeping everything PG-13, but rather showcasing both personality and dexterity. They WANT to see you on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Foursquare…yadda, yadda, yadda, so they feel comfortable putting their brand’s reputations in your hands. After speaking to Patrick Ambron, CMO of Brand-Yourself.com, Brand-Yourself and other coporations are doing exactly this. The site “educates individuals about the importance of their online reputation and the different tools and techniques that help them put their best foot forward on the web.”  Their recent deal with Syracuse University is a great first step for universities in general.

As a student that just graduated in 2009, I can strongly say that every opportunity I have received so far has been due to Social Media. In my graduation class, that was a very odd and unique statement to admit amongst my peers. I will begin to put my bottom dollar on the fact that universities nationwide will not only begin to follow Syracuse’s lead, but that Social Media guides, courses and majors will be standard, starting this year. Patrick also agrees, “Very soon I think all career services (university or professional) will be helping clients put their best foot forward on the web. They will have no choice.”

Here are a few tips from Carrot to help recent graduates get a leg up in the Social Media space:

• Follow other people in your industry and talk to them.  Think of it as approaching someone new at a bar.  Be polite, but show your fun side.
• Choose an appropriate avatar and use the same one for every single site you’re on.  This will help your face become recognizable from constant repetition.  Remember, consistency is key when it comes to branding.
• Don’t leave out LinkedIn.  You may not have a lot of job experience yet, but those people you want to showcase your work to?  Yeah…they’re on LinkedIn.  List your activities, class projects, volunteer work or whatever it is you’ve gotten yourself involved in and search for those who’ve done the same.
• Participate!  Don’t be the shy kid standing in the corner, jump into conversations.
• Leave insightful comments on the blogs you read.  Not only will you pet the ego of the author, but more importantly you’ll expose yourself to others interested in the same subjects.
• Never forget that the groundswell is about person-to-person activity.  Ultimately, Social Media is simply connecting person to person, just like a phone call or face-to-face conversation would.  Whether it’s a recruiter, CEO, professor or coworker; they’re all just as human as you.  Chill out, relax and be yourself.
• Be patient.  Just because you’re tweeting and commenting to people does not mean they’ll get back to you right away.  Keep it up.  The more they see your name, the more likely they’ll ultimately talk back.