Don't Ruin Your Career on Social Media
Many of us have been on social media for over two decades at this point and the temptation to post our every thought online has only intensified. So, too, has the danger; if we broadcast our thoughts too quickly or casually, we could wind up losing our jobs–or a chance to get better ones.
Election season is here in the U.S., which means that many people will find themselves posting their thoughts in a hurry and regretting their choices at leisure. Before you hit your favorite apps, consider the following guidelines:
Be Kind
Before you post anything on any social network, ask yourself if you’re adding something positive to the discussion. It’s easy to tear down and tough to build. Being supportive and empathetic (or avoiding discussion when you can’t, in good conscience, manage either) helps make sure that none of your statements will come back to haunt you. It also enhances your professional and personal reputation as someone who contributes, rather than detracts.
Being kind online has other important benefits. You’ll avoid losing hours to online arguments that have no winners by definition, feel more in control of your social media use, and probably maintain a better mood.
Tip: Wait 24 hours before posting anything on social media. Give yourself a chance to cool down and consider the consequences before you share your thoughts.
Don’t Trust Locks
Be wary of assuming that limited groups and message services are truly private. Think about how many times you’ve seen a moderator post a reminder not to screenshot messages. There’s a good reason for that. People don’t always respect the rules and your private note could wind up reaching a wider audience than you intended.
Look Backward
If you use Facebook’s memories feature, you already have a regular reminder that you’re not exactly the same person you were five or 10 years ago. If you’re like most of us, you’ve changed a lot more than your hairstyle and your favorite restaurant. You likely have a better sense of what’s appropriate online, too. Use that wisdom to review your old posts and ensure that there’s nothing there that you wouldn’t post over your desk at work or print on a t-shirt and wear around your neighborhood.
Use Tools To Help
Don’t have time to read thousands of old posts? Consider mass deleting them. There are several low-cost tools on the market that will wipe your old posts on X/Twitter, for example. A few offer features that will regularly delete your new posts after a certain time limit, making it easier to manage your media in the future.
Don’t Forget About Other Apps
Payment apps like Venmo may offer a note feature. This is helpful if you’re trying to track when you paid the babysitter and not so helpful if you’re in the habit of using it to share personal information. (Note: everyone knows that the tree emoji means that your friend made a trip to the dispensary on your behalf.) Set any apps with a messaging feature to private and keep your conversation safe for work.
Remember Your Goals
If you’re someone who doesn’t like the idea of censoring your thoughts to fit a corporate overlord’s preferences (and who isn’t), remember that your ultimate goal is to make your own life easier and more pleasant. Being cautious about what you post on social media will help you stay employed, get a new job, and have less aggravation in your daily life. And all of that is a lot more important than anyone else’s opinions about what you have to say.
Our Favorite Tools & Tips
STAR Interview Response Technique: The STAR interview response technique can help make interviewing easier. Using this method, you can share examples of how you successfully handled situations at work to show you possess the credentials the interviewer is looking for in an ideal candidate.
LinkedIn Career Explorer: Enter your current occupation to view similar jobs, how your skills overlap with the skills required for the new job, and openings in your area.
How-To Guide: Switch Careers: Are you interested in exploring new career options? CareerOneStop offers a six-step guide to help you identify a new career focus and prepare to search for jobs in your new field.
News & Noteworthy
Small Business Bankruptcies: In what could be another sign of a slowing job market, CNN reports that small and mid-sized businesses are struggling. More than 340 companies filed for bankruptcy in the first six months of 2024, the highest half-year level since 2010. In 2023, almost half (46.4%) of private sector employees worked for small businesses. When you combine the layoffs at large companies with the increased number of small business bankruptcies, it makes for a challenging job market for many job seekers.
Intuit's Underperforming Layoffs: It's hard enough to get laid off. It's even worse when a company publicly says 1,050 out of 1,800 layoffs were "underperforming" employees. That's what Intuit did when they announced layoffs last week. Besides being mean (and unnecessary), it didn't help them on the PR front. Our connections on LinkedIn had a lot to say about it, and this post from Liam Darmody sums up the impact on those who lost their jobs.
What Difference Can a Name Make? When it came to getting hired, it made a big difference for one job seeker. NBC reports that Dwight Jackson applied for jobs at the Shinola Hotel with no success, even though he had similar experience working at other hotels. When he submitted the same resume with a name change to John Jebrowski he was contacted for an interview, but rejected for the job. He’s filed a discrimination lawsuit.
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