To Post or Not to Post…

With the boom of social media in recent years, it’s becoming more and more difficult to find someone who doesn’t have some sort of online presence in at least one social network site and you can be assured that employers are taking notice.  While we love the connections and interactions the medium provides, it’s a practice that many are still learning to navigate properly.

I recently had the opportunity to spend time with employees of an NFL team where the organization has created rules regarding their social media usage.  This is a tricky road to travel for employers because their employees’ online communication can greatly benefit the organization, but it also has the ability to send it tumbling. 

It was interesting to hear the employees discuss the issue as they were not upset or discouraged by the guidelines, but rather dedicated to following them without fail.  When asked what might happen if there was a violation, there seemed to be little doubt that serious consequences would occur in any situation.  I was told of an employee who was photographed with fans during a game last season and then tagged in the photo on Facebook.  This individual had failed to properly adjust her settings so that others were not allowed to tag her in their photos.  The group did not share with me the repercussions of her mistake, but left little doubt that there were consequences.

So, what does all of this mean for you?  Should you simply avoid social networking sites to protect yourself?  Absolutely not.  You should, however, take great care to protect your online presence and make certain that it represents the best possible image of yourself to both present and future employers. 

Making the decision of what is appropriate and what falls short can be a challenge because you must determine what OTHERS will deem appropriate and what might cause them hesitation when making a decision on your character.   I spoke with an acquaintance last week who could not understand why a joke he recently shared was offending some of his online friends. The important thing to remember here is that it doesn’t matter WHY, but only simply that it DOES. 

Another common mistake is thinking you don’t have to worry about a co-worker or employer seeing your posts due to privacy settings.  I beg of you never to assume this!  If something you post gets “shared” or “liked” by others, it then goes into their newsfeed and can be viewed by anyone in their network.  At this point, you have lost control over who sees the information and with whom they share it.  This is just one example of how you can slip into a dangerous situation very quickly with one simple post. 

No matter if you’re happily employed or searching for a job, one must be aware and conscious of their online profile and the type of message it is sending to others.  Social media is an amazing networking tool that has the ability to open doors to new opportunities if used correctly, but be warned: It can also slam doors shut that may never re-open. 

If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at kcross@flexible-staffing.com.