As a recent Miami Herald article explains: need a job? Clean up your Facebook.

The article, posted Tuesday notes, “In their efforts to vet applicants, some companies and government agencies are going beyond merely glancing at person’s social networking profiles and instead asking to log in as the user to have a look around.”  Now more than ever, it’s become increasingly important to keep your online persona squeaky clean— your job could literally depend on it.

And to even further drive the point home, the article explains that some companies such as Sears are using third party applications to get this access if you won’t hand it over yourself.

Here’s a quick check-list to remember how to be appropriate and properly brand yourself online:

1. If someone at work, notably a superior, “friends” you, they are probably not looking to actually be friends with you. Don’t feel shy about taking precautions and limiting your Facebook friendship. Don’t give your co-worker reason to have dirt on you.
2. Never have a picture of yourself drinking online. Even if you’re of age, it sends a poor message across.
3. Set a Google Alert for yourself so you can maintain control over your online image.
4. Remember that online tools can be your friend (as well as your foe). Use them as resources to enhance your knowledge and relationships.

Though the online sphere may be scary, if you know how to protect yourself, it can serve as a marketable skill that may just land you that job after all.

The University of Miami football scandal has rocked the college sports community, players, and coaches for almost a month now.

In mid-August Yahoo! Sports reported the corruption within the University of Miami football program- detailing a UM football booster’s showering of 72 players (and even administrators!) with lavish gifts including parties at night clubs, prostitutes, jewelry, clothing, and electronics. Nevin Shapiro, the culprit who is currently serving time for a $930 million dollar Ponzi scheme, wined and dined the players to get into the “in crowd,” and develop a posse of top players turning top recruits and then pro. Shapiro is serving a 20-year prison sentence for his actions- but the University of Miami as a college, community, and brand is facing serious repercussions. In fact, in their September 5^th game against Maryland, certain UM players who were deemed ineligible to play because of their part in the scandal left many inexperienced freshmen taking over their positions. The investigation will continue on.

The scandal floats like a black cloud over campus, and University President Donna E. Shalala has only recently instated a crisis communications plan. As WPLG-Miami reporter Michael Putney writes in his opinion piece in The Miami Herald on August 23^rd, “UM President Donna Shalala certainly didn’t look good the other day striding around the campus with a pasted-on grin as she welcomed reporters, none of whose questions she would answer…Not even ‘no comment.’” Even if Shalala didn’t have all of the facts, we at Boardroom Communications would have advised her to at least let reporters know she was on their side. She could have said, “I have no comment at this time other than to say that we are taking this very seriously and investigating it,” or something of this nature, from the very start. Putney puts it well, asking, “Why didn’t Shalala just call a news conference, say she wouldn’t be answering questions and read the limp, ineffectual statement her office issued…?” Maybe the media would’ve given her a break if she went humbly to the camera right away.

Then again, it probably wasn’t too fun greeting the parents and students of the Class of 2015 amidst the biggest scandal in University of Miami history.

Shalala did pen a letter to the community, and has made two videos reaching out to the university and community at large- directly addressing the incident from her own office. “When our values come into question, we only have one option,” she says in the video. “Do what is right and have confidence in tomorrow. The allegations leveled…are serious. And we are treating them with the urgency and priority they warrant.” Shalala also notes that the NCAA has instructed her and the university to not yet comment on specifics, and her personal frustration with being “unable to speak more freely and answer questions.”

Though initially faltering (and getting beaten for it), Shalala is starting to take the right steps by confidently looking straight into the camera and accepting responsibility for this scandal. When CEOS and corporate executives are faced with any sort of catastrophe, more often than not there is simply a press release, a general statement sent to publications and mass media, and nothing more. Shalala has employed a simple yet successful public relations strategy- appearing personal, humbled, and intimate with her audience and community. It’s obvious that she and the University of Miami administration are trying very hard to remain proactive in an attempt to redeem themselves and the reputation of their college. Thankfully, their current coach Al Golden remains untainted by the scandal- having arrived long after Shapiro’s departure. If he takes the reins and focuses on the future, maybe, just maybe, Miami can recover.

A great time was had last night with the stalwarts from the Legal Marketing Association’s South Florida CityGroup at Soyka. Thank you all for your friendship and support, and thank you to our co-chairs Jennifer Clarin and Nicole Berman for their preparation and planning to ensure 2011 is another great year for legal marketing professionals in the greater Ft. Lauderdale–Miami–Palm Beach County area.MIA LOGO ARTWORK

Just prior to Lebron James making his decision to go to the Miami Heat, the media constantly asked Where will he go, where will Dwyane Wade go, where will Chris Bosh go?   News outlets coast to coast pondered the question.   

Just prior to that, many news outlets (not the sports writers!) were reporting on the Jake and Vienna split.  For those who never read it or clicked on it, it was nothing more than a break-up Jake, a “Bachelor” on the ABC show, and his fiancée, whom he met during the process.

How do two people without any news value generate so much interest?  Magazine covers, daily papers, radio and tv shows tapped into this split between two people who were hardly together.  The reason is simple.  The media made them a couple – and the media continued its role in making their split newsworthy.  With the right public relations, they stayed top of mind.

So when three of the most talented athletes on the planet dominated the media thereafter, yes, it was overkill – but at least they earned their right to be in the public eye. 

But really, it doesn’t matter.  Because the media has the power to make people newsworthy who met on a TV show and then broke up.  That’s it. 

With Lebron, Dwayne and Chris, the talent came first – then the media frenzy.  With Jake and Vienna, the media frenzy came first – and we’re still waiting for the talent. If you think these things all happen by accident, think again.  Behind both sets of characters were skilled public relations experts.

The Learning Channel has a show called “What Not To Wear.”  Simple enough – avoid a fashion faux pas.

Maybe someone should launch a show called “When Not To Speak.”  All the people in the military, in government, close to government, and in politics in general, could watch it.

If we’ve learned anything from the McChrystal debacle, it’s that speaking – on the record or off the cuff – can have tremendous repercussions.  McChrystal and his aides said too many things in the presence of Michael Hastings, Rolling Stone reporter.  Their words came back to bite them – and to create a situation that could have been avoided by a little silence.

The media has a way of getting people to talk.  That’s their job.  But for the rest of the world, it’s smart to know when to stay silent, when to keep the answers short, when not to use clever quips at the expense of your boss and your job.

Too many people have done what General Stanley McChrystal and his group did – they vented about things that bother them.   Word to the wise – don’t do it with media in earshot.  Nothing good can come of it.

It makes for bad relations. As Florida crisis management consultants, we know that there’s virtually no public relations spin to be put on it.