RecruitPKB: What to Post and What Not to Post

We are going to dive in a little deeper with social media and it’s purpose in the recruiting process.

This week we tackle “What should I post and what should I not post on social media?”.

Clearly there are some obvious answers to this question, but it still seems that many young athletes don’t always think before posting. Now as with many parts of this process I don’t recommend you pretend to be someone you aren’t on social media or when talking to coaches. They need to see the real you, because if not, within a few weeks of being on campus they are going to get the real you.

But when it comes to social media always remember that what you put out there will always be out there, no matter if it gets deleted or it’s on someone else’s feed or account. So any bad language or behavior, drug or underage alcohol use, or inappropriate attire can be grounds not only for a coach to not recruit you but also for a future internship or employer to not hire you.

While those are some extreme cases of the “no’s” to social media posts, I think many young athletes don’t realize that what you put on social media is a very insightful view of what is important to you and how you spend your time. This does not mean you need to post every time you practice or play a tournament, or constant updates on your awards and achievements for golf or school. Coaches understand that you may not feel comfortable sharing that or you may choose not to use social media for that purpose. Just be mindful of how your posts and stories reflect your true priorities with school, social, family, friends, and golf. Coaches aren’t just looking for the major red flags when it comes to using social media as a recruiting tool, they are also using it to learn more about you and if you might be a good fit for their program.