When is being social too much?
I’ve read numerous articles recently about Social Media and the detriment it could have on your job prospects and long term standing with a company. This is especially true if you hold a high level or executive position within a company or have aspirations to do so. It is widely known that placing anything negative about an employer or your job online is just a silly thing to do. But did you know your ‘representation’ of yourself as part of a company through your social actions could affect your upward mobility or even keeping your job altogether? Companies are increasingly blurring the lines between ‘social media’ tools and corporate outreach or publicity. More and more HR or even management inside a company, agency or school district are checking to see if your ‘social’ life is representative of the corporate culture they are attempting to cultivate. If you they feel you do not represent the corporate mission or message with your extracurricular activities it may be a deterrent from you representing them at a high level. Though this may not seem fair to many it is a reality you need to cautiously protect.
Here are six tips to avoid social media overkill and manage your online presence effectively from Rachel Farrell of Career Builder’s article Social media can kill your career — but not the way you think:
1. Add to the conversation
“Use LinkedIn to post your résumé online; contribute to industry- and occupation-specific discussions,” Neece says.
2. Have more than one account
Have two social media accounts, Sperber says. “One that is geared toward your desired industry so employers can see that you’re attempting to be active and another one for personal use.” Be sure to protect your profiles so they aren’t accessible to the public.
3. Score face time
“Use online resources to get face-to-face or voice-to-voice with another person. Each of us is most memorable and most influential in person,” Neece says.
4. Just say no
If your social media profiles are protected and a potential employer requests to follow you, don’t feel obligated to accept, Sperber says. “That’s what your other ‘professional’ account is for.”
5. Stay positive
“Don’t badmouth any of the companies that you’re applying to, especially if you feel the interview didn’t go well,” Sperber says. If you put something on the Internet, it’s out there for anyone to see.
6. Keep things to yourself
Don’t publicize that you’re going to an interview or just finished an interview at a company. Some companies do not like to have their recruiting process — or that they’re even having one — publicized, Sperber says.
-Jennifer Smith, PEI
