As the job-searching season approaches, students will have an added concern with their resumes and interview skills — their Facebook or MySpace sites.

By posting pictures containing alcohol or even inappropriate jokes on the personal Web sites, students can negatively impact their future job search.

“Harmless fun can be interpreted as something entirely different,” said Cindy Henderson, Career Services Coordinator.

So while a friend might innocently post an inside joke, an employer may find it offensive. And it’s not difficult for employers to access those accounts.

Henderson, who has a Facebook account of her own, said many employers can easily access Facebook as long as they have an .edu extension. This can be their own or another employee’s, a child’s or a partner’s.

Felicia McKinney, a regional recruiting supervisor at Enterprise, said she has never checked a prospective hire’s personal account.

“Even if it is inappropriate, I don’t see how they can use that against you,” McKinney said.

Latoya Jones, a sophomore secondary education major, agrees.

“The purpose of the interview is for the employer to see the professional side of you,” Jones said. “You can be one person at work and a completely different person outside the office.”

However, even if an employer can’t legally use your account against you, Henderson said it won’t stop them from making a judgment.

“They’re as human as anybody else; of course they will be impacted,” Henderson said.

Jones said even though she doesn’t have anything posted that she feels is inappropriate, it still makes her nervous that what her friends post might be taken out of context by employers.

Henderson advises students to exercise caution by monitoring their accounts and deleting inappropriate posts.

Henderson also said it usually affects students in pre-hire situations and there is not much employers can do after a person gets the job.

“It’s not just a fun tool for college students,” Henderson said. “It’s a tool that anybody can use.”