With our online society that we have today, most people are online and most people belong to Facebook, Twitter or some other social media website. While these are great placed to chat, meet people and learn new things, what they are not good for are keeping your professional life separate from your social life. More than ever before companies are using these websites to learn about potential clients and employees. This is a great tool to use but the downside is that the skeletons in your closet are easier to find.
As a growing professional, you must make sure that these social media outlets don’t show off your bad side. Do you have photos of you on Facebook at last year’s long weekend with a drink in each hand and a glazed over look on your face? Chances are potential employers will see this photo and your dream job will run out the door.
So here is my simple advice. If you’re looking to get into the professional world, or there already, then do a little clean up on your social networks and get rid of anything that a future boss would find not acceptable. If you’re tagged on any photos from your friends, nicely ask to be removed. Your online life is open for the world to see, and remembering that could help with your future.
Your online profile can also show if you’re lying on a resume. If your resume says “Manager of Sales” and your Facebook says “Stockboy” then you are caught in a lie. Maybe you put that you have a PhD in something, but your profile says something different. All of this can be found by hiring managers who do their homework. And they do.
Some ideas of what not to put online, or to take off your online profile:
- Party photos that suggest you could be a budding alcoholic
- That video of you running down the street half naked on a dare
- Anything that has even the slightest hint of drug use
- Photos of you dressing your cat in a princess costume (unless you professionally work with animals)
- Fake job information