CUBS conference: Graduates urged to be respectful online
Graduates have been urged to be mindful of their social media profiles as they enter the workforce.
Employees of Deloitte, Google, Musgrave Group, Smurfit Kappa and Cork Chamber, who were speaking at Cork University Business School's annual conference, told around 1,000 students and secondary school pupils to avoid becoming bogged down in disrespectful online behaviour.
Google e-commerce specialist Dylan O'Brien, who graduated from UCC in Business Information Systems, said: "You have to hold your best professional self online, through your social media. It is a reflection of you as a professional in your working career.
Social media holds a great purpose. It holds a great platform for us to express ourselves in a way that you might not necessarily get in our personal lives, but it is important to be professional and respectful in that sense.
Musgrave accountant and Cork hurler Daniel Kearney said he had restricted his social media presence after untrue rumours began to surface about him leaving the inter-county panel.
He urged caution to conference attendees about how they used social media.
Cork Chamber public affairs director, Thomas McHugh said there was a "huge tendency" towards polarising positions and incendiary statements on social media.
"In any aspect of politics or business, you see the most value in diplomacy.
You can have a different perspective to somebody, it's not necessarily about being right or wrong but articulating your points if you believe something.
"Mutual respect is particularly important, especially for younger people," he said.
