Social Media and Your Career

Social Media is arguably one of the most prominent and effective forms of staying connected to friends and family near and far. Over the last few years, social media has grown tremendously. Over 845 million people worldwide are active users on Facebook. Over 200 million people are active twitter users. This being said, what you choose to post to your social media website may positively or negatively affect your professional profile.  

A recent study shows that most managers look at the social profiles of potential employees during the hiring process. According to various professionals, information posted online is virtually impossible to retract. Now take a minute to think about any information that you have ever posted online. This may include information that you have posted in a blog; on Facebook; Twitter; Pinterest; even things that you may have posted on your old MySpace page, or Tagged account. Unless the information was posted on a secure network, once you post information online, anyone can choose to save and repost your information. It can then be manipulated in any manner.

 Before you get too anxious, let me ease your worries. Think about the type of information you have on any of your social media websites at this very moment. You may not be able to change what you have posted in the past, but it will certainly not hurt to clean up your profiles today. Below is a list of things that you should take into consideration when posting to your online profiles:

1.  Confessionals – Have you ever had a bad experience with a boss or co-worker? This is not unheard of. You may not be compatible with everyone you come in contact with. You may even hate your job. However, it is important that you keep any feelings you may have about these situations to yourself. These are not things that you need to share online. Many employees have been fired for posting negative comments about co-workers, supervisors, and companies.
2.   Personal Life – Have you ever heard the saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” This may have been the case twenty years ago. With today’s technology, it is not. Being selective in the type of information that you decide to post about personal vacations is key to a nice, clean profile. Be very selective in the language that you use on your social websites as well. You never know who may be watching.
3. Picture Perfect – A picture may be worth a thousand words, but depending on the one you choose to add to your page, you may have to come up with a thousand reasons for why you chose to post it. For this point, we will focus on my three R’s. Recognize any inappropriate pictures that you have on your profile. Realize that in many cases, these pictures could be the first impression that an employer has of you. Remove any picture that may affect your chances of getting a job in your profession.

There will always be a certain level of risk involved when posting information on a social media website. By being aware of your privacy settings and being thoughtful in what you post, you can be sure that your social media websites will not be a hindrance to your potential career opportunities. 

Keisha Francis 
Career Educator