How Social Media can affect your career

How social media can affect your career

Social media has become an integral part of modern society. Millions of people around the world use social media to connect with one another. But this valuable tool also can be a detriment, particularly to men and women seeking employment.
What a person says or does on social media can come back to haunt them with regard to the impression they create with prospective employers. Questionable antics and comments may reflect negatively on a person without him or her even realizing it. According to a study by Reppler, a social media monitoring service, 91 percent of employers use social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to screen prospective employees.

[pullquote]Be careful with regard to how you use social media, which can either positively or negatively affect your employment prospects depending on what you share.[/pullquote]

• Many people are completely unaware how others view them through their social media profiles and usage, but  social media profiles give away more information about a person’s character and personality than many people would ever imagine. Even seemingly innocent remarks and observations can be misconstrued. Use of profanity or offering commentary on controversial subjects may be a person’s right. However, such comments may not sit well with prospective employers.
  Some may think the solution is not to have profiles on the popular social media sites. But avoiding social media entirely can send the wrong message to prospective employers. It may suggest that you are not a person who is current with the latest trends in technology and may give employers the impression that you are not adept at keeping up with the changing times.
  The key is finding the right balance with social media. The following are a few tips to ensure your social media usage does not do more harm than good.
• Do not post or tweet information that should be kept private. If you would not tell intimate secrets to another person, especially an employer, do not convey these details to your group of ‘friends.’ Remember anyone can take a screen shot or copy what you say and make it public, even if it was done as private or friends only. Think before you post!
• Recognize that it’s not always your comments that can affect perceptions of you. The friends you choose to accept and socialize with via social media can impact how others view you. If friends are prone to vulgarity and off-color commentary, employers may surmise that this type of behavior is acceptable to you. Screen friends and block those who do not meet your standards. The old saying is, we are known by our friends, even if we don’t do or act like them.
• Know that security features on social media applications change frequently. It’s important to know just how private your information may be. For example, if you are tagged in another person’s photo, people outside of your friends’ list may be able to see that image. You have to police your sites and lock down the information as you see fit, only posting what is appropriate for the general public.
• Do not complain about a job or boss publicly. Even if your boss is not on your list of friends, he or she may still learn about your comments through gossip. While verbal complaints with others may not be accurately tracked back to you, text is hard evidence to discredit. Even if you put the post to private, someone can take a screen shot of what you say and it can become public. The Bible says a wise man can keep his mouth shut. Most of the time, that is the best thing to do and not put drama out on Social media.
• Use social media as a networking tool to find other like-minded individuals in the same fields. Join industry-based groups and organizations so that you can share your ideas. Further expanding your reach through blogs and websites can also help your job hunt.

Social media is here to stay, making many details of people’s lives more public, so exercise caution with social media so your career is not negatively affected.

Here are some other social media related blog post.

• How social media can help your ministry
• using social media to share your faith
• Social Media Day
• Parents Connecting with Social Media
• Where to connect to Courageous Christian Father on Social Media

Before you post! Do think about it! First, will it bring glory to God. Does it shame God? Will this post hurt me or those around me in any way. Is what I am posting beneficial in any way or am I just venting or ranting. Just like employers are looking at this information you post and comment, God sees everything we post. Even those post we put to private (only me).

By you truly thinking about it, it can let you see How Social Media can affect your career and even your walk with God. These same principles can not only apply to future employment, but also when seeking to serve in a church. The church can and will look into you as well, to see your character.

_{How Social Media can affect your career is an article compliments of Metro Creative. Revisions and additions added by myself. CB14A570}

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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