“It’s just social media,” but is it really? A lot of people dismiss their social media profiles as just a fun way to pass time. Little do some people realize, your profile is a reflection of you. Social media is very real and can have real consequences.
Your name and identity should be important to you. The things you say, photos you post and things you endorse via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook say a lot about you. We’ve heard this time and time again, employers can find your profiles and review them. Some find this practice to be wrong or judgemental, others think it makes sense because it gives employers and inside look at who they are hiring. There have been quite a few instances of people landing themselves in controversy or even losing their jobs because of their social media profiles. If it’s something you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see, it probably doesn’t belong on the internet. A lot of us are preparing to enter the workforce and applying for career jobs.
Another thing we need to realize is, these things don’t just disappear. Sure, you can delete a tweet or photo but the impact left behind won’t go away. We are also aware that screenshotting is very popular so your post could live on in infamy. Celebrities have also been victims of this, people “trolling” and finding old controversial posts from years ago. Although they may delete it, it will live on.
Social media is meant to be fun but it isn’t something to be taken too lightly. Next time you’re thinking about posting something “reckless” think of the impact it may have on your image.
HCXO!