Dave Sholler's Guide To Social Media

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"Being on social media is like playing with a loaded gun."
   -Dave Sholler, Executive Vice President of Communications at The Philadelphia 76ers.


    Last week, my "Exploring Your Digital Portfolio" class had the amazing opportunity of speaking to Dave Sholler over Zoom. Mr. Sholler graduated from Stockton University and is now the Executive Vice President of Communications for the Philadelphia 76ers. When he graduated Stockton University he did not have access to the internet that we have today. Myspace wasn't made for job applications or networking like LinkedIn is and applying to jobs was a bit more complicated than submitting an application online the way we do now. However, social media has become so much more since then and Mr. Sholler was able to give us pointers on how to use social media effectively and what actions to avoid from the employer's point of view. Here are some tips:

  1. Be careful of what you post on social media. Your social media is like your personal brand and employers are always watching. 
  2. Your social media content is never just for your followers, many others may come across it as well. Whatever you share with your followers might get shared with their followers, so if someone has a larger following than you, then your content isn't solely for your own followers anymore. This can be beneficial or attract unwanted attention, which is why tip number one is so important. 
  3. Stay away from social media when you are not sober. Red solo cups, Tweets that hint intoxication, or messy party pictures are a big N. O. You never know what you might put out there when your mind is not in the right place and looking like a party person just doesn't look professional or responsible. Employers don't want to hire someone who might be irresponsible. 
  4. The term "Self-made" is never completely true. Use social media to make important connections. We have such great resources for networking at the tip of our fingers, utilizing it is so important. Don't be afraid to reach out to your connections for help. Who you know can make all the difference. (And of course, do the same for others!)
  5. When talking to employers on LinkedIn, personalize your message. A copy-&-paste message is obvious and leaves a bad taste in a potential-employer's mouth. Show them you are genuinely interested in the job and who they are as a person. Additionally, go the extra mile to utilize the internet and research more about the job. This will allow you to see what you might be getting yourself into as well as impress your potential-employer with all the information you obtained. 

    Social media is a double-edged sword, following these tips given by Mr. Sholler will ensure that the favorable consequences occur way more often than the unfavorable ones. Thank you so much, Mr. Sholler for all the advice you've given our class!



(And thank you for being one of the reasons why I am so much more motivated to go into marketing with my future psychology degree!)

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