You’d never show up to an interview in sweats or hungover, would you? While that may seem like a no-brainer, the same goes for your online presence–the face we show the web through Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets.
In 2012, we’re kidding ourselves if we think employers aren’t going to check us out online. It’s too easy to Google someone’s name and have their entire Internet history right there at your fingertips. Most of us are guilty of Facebook stalking, be it the cute guy from last night or our evil ex-best friend. Anything and everything we put online should represent us in a professional light, because you never know who’s watching.
A good rule to go by is if you wouldn’t be willing to show it to your mother or a potential employer, don’t post it. Whether it be a status update, tweet or photo, if you think it could be inappropriate, it probably is.
It’s understandable that everything might not be under your control–you can’t help it if your friend tags a series of unflattering photos of you. Even if you untag, those photos are still going to exist. Even if something is deleted, it still exists somewhere on the net. Remember, nothing is ever truly erased from the Internet, making it even more important that we be cautious about what we post.
Just as we polish our appearance before a night out or before a job interview, so should our online presence be polished. Privacy settings are available for a reason, and Facebook offers great customizable options. Don’t want all of your friends (including colleagues or your boss) to see photos from that weekend at Myrtle Beach with your friends? Just use the custom sharing feature on Facebook to block certain people from seeing some of your content.
Also, think about how many friends you have on Facebook, or how many people can see your Twitter feed. If you’re allowing an excess of hundreds to thousands of people access to your information and everything you post, chances are there are some people you don’t want seeing everything.
Twitter doesn’t have as many privacy options–you either have a private account or you don’t. If you only use Twitter to update about your day and frequently use colorful language, keep it private. But healthy, professional uses of social media, like Twitter, can often impress employers and land you in better standing to get a job. Next time you want to rant about that professor who did you wrong, take a step back and let it out to a friend in private instead of the Internet.
If you’re looking for a career in PR, advertising, media, business or any number of fields, a professional online presence is going to be expected of you. The company or organization you work for is going to want to see a polished website including an online portfolio of your work and a digital resume. A clean social media presence is going to be expected.
The truth of the matter is, sometimes we have to censor ourselves for our own good. Censorship carries a negative connotation, but if we want to appear polished and professional, complaining about a monster hangover from last night isn’t going to impress potential bosses.
This is not to say you can’t ever have personal outlets online. But they have to remain personal. They need to be under the strictest privacy settings and you should choose carefully who has access to them.
So here’s a checklist of things to help turn your online presence more professional so it won’t ever clash with your polished interview look:
- If you wouldn’t want mom or your boss seeing it, don’t post it.
- Untag, untag, untag. When you can, that is.
- Use privacy settings wisely–Facebook offers great customizable options for sharing with everyone, just your friends or just a particular group of friends and it works for everything, from photos to status updates.
- Be smarter about who you add as a friend or follower. Do you really know them? Should they have access to what you post?
- Keep professional and personal separate. Want a Twitter to blast complaints and regale friends with stories from last night on Franklin? Get a personal, private account. Want to show employers you can handle social media gracefully? Open an account you only use to filter news or talk about things related to your field.
- Start up your own website or blog. Most sites like Blogger and WordPress are very user-friendly and perfect for people who aren’t experts in web design or coding. Just make sure that your site is targeting potential employers and not your best friends.
The interview doesn’t stop when you walk out of the office. Keeping at least some of these tips in mind will have you on the road to a more polished and professional face online, possibly giving you the edge.
Sources:
Dream job, next exit (photo): http://interview-tips-for-success.blogspot.com/; http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I–qzZhBdTs/TwWNlkRZJVI/AAAAAAAAAE8/KJNps0PKaUQ/s1600/second-interview-questions.jpg
Censored whale (photo): memeburn.com; http://memeburn.com/wp-content/uploads/twitter-censored-300×162.png
anotherangryvoice.blogspot.com
Facebook censored (photo): 1.bp.blogspot.com; http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UTHHBRs1T4/Tbshdp2kIyI/AAAAAAAAAMs/p3r0ibvEWTU/s320/Facebook+Censored.jpg