Social media is the picture frame for this generation that allows young adults to show who they are through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but the way we present ourselves online today will affect the way we’re viewed for the rest of our lives.

The ultimate goal after college is to find a job, but what if the stuff you put online determined whether you’ll have the job or not? What if because of the stuff you posted online changed your dream employer’s mind of whether to hire you or not?

Often we see on the news where young adults, teachers, news or sports reporters and people in positions of power post crucial things on their social media accounts that get them in trouble in their business.

Cella, a young woman from Mansfield, Texas, the night before her first shift at Jet’s Pizza in Mansfield Texas posted a confidential tweet towards her new employer. Cella stated on twitter using vulgar language that she was annoyed with her new job before starting it, that it would be horrible. Her new boss then tweeted back saying that she didn’t have to start the next morning, and that she was fired.

A similar incident happened back in 2012, when 11th grade English teacher, Natalie Munroe at Central Bucks East High School was dismissed from her teaching position for blogging about her students. Munroe wrote on her blog how horrible her students were, that they were loathsome and lazy. After she was let go, she was brought back which ended with her leaving again.

It’s no joke that whatever is posted online will be found, and there’s no way of getting around it.

Students across campus realize the importance of this matter and responded to the question of whether or not they think what they post on social media will affect their future employment.

“Yes, in a negative and a positive way.” responds Zach Stratton, 19, a neuropsychology major from Holland. “If you apply for a job, and the employer is considering you, their last checkup would be a Facebook search. If you post pictures of illegal actions or post vulgar words in a status, this will affect your employer’s opinion of you in a negative way.”

“There are companies out there that will want to see your Facebook to decide if you are the perfect candidate for that job. There are also vast amounts of jobs out there these days that will actually require you to use social media. For example to send out invitations to a gig to spread the word. I do believe that social media at one point in your career might affect your future,” said Valerie Kartashova, 22, a physical therapy major from Jamison.

If there is no negativity involved with your social media account that future employers may look for, it could be beneficial.

Stratton comments on this, saying, “On the other hand, if you post pictures of you and your family, community service action, or some other polite thing, they will look at you in a positive way and want you to work for them.”

Seeing something positive can, in fact, greater your chances for employment. Having a social media account that is solely work-related and promotes your image can show employers that you’re a positive addition to their company.

For some people, social media is not essential, but being a part of it to stay connected and show people who you are or what you’re doing can feel good.

“At this point in my life, I got rid of unnecessary social media in my option like Facebook and Twitter. I do still use Instagram,” said Kartashova. “I am not cautious about what I post at this time. Of course, in the future, I might consider deleting a few selfies here and there but a majority of my profile I would consider appropriate for my future career. We all have our own personal lives, after all, that we want to share.”

If you’re considering a career in a big city such as Philadelphia or New York City, the competition is sky high and obtaining a job isn’t easy to begin with. A social media platform such as LinkedIn is a helpful and well-known website for finding jobs based on the online profile that you create.

John Hunter, 24, who works on Wall Street recognizes the great effect of such job-hunting platforms.

“It did not help me in any way for this job, but LinkedIn is definitely useful,” said Hunter. “I have been contacted by recruiters and prospective employers through my account. It helps more if you’re visible and have a good up-to-date profile.”

So, the remains, is it really social media or is it an online life resumé?