For many, the advent of social media is the best thing since the online job search board. It can be used to great effect to zero in on employment opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise be privy to and to network. But the visibility of social media can also work against your professional life.
Social media posts have been known to get people fired, and have no doubt been the cause of a whole lot of people not getting jobs they would otherwise have been a shoe-in for.
Social Media Posts To Avoid
Here are four social media activities you may have perpetrated before that you should never do again.
- Taking drunken selfies
Like the old song says, you’ve gotta fight for your right to party. Just don’t let a prospective employer see evidence of how hard that partying sometimes gets if you don’t want them to get the altogether wrong impression of you. Keep it classy and you won’t have to worry about getting passed up for a job or a long-awaited promotion because someone out there happened upon your profile and now thinks you’re a total lush they wouldn’t trust to walk their dog.
- Going on a political rant
We are all political animals. And come election time, that passion gets stirred up even more. Sometimes it’s impossible to keep your political opinions to yourself — especially if you feel passionately about the issues that impact your life. Just remember that not everyone shares your views. Even if you go out of your way not to insult people of differing views, it sometimes happens anyway. Being a loose cannon in this way can cost your career. Don’t do it.
- Talking smack on ex- or current employers
Not everyone is in love with their work life. Nobody’s saying that you should be (although it would be pretty cool if more people were). All we’re saying is that if you have a beef with an employer, social media is not the place to air that information. Employers need to know that workplace conflicts won’t become a matter of public record. If you’re constantly badmouthing people you’ve worked for, you could be seen as a liability.
- Uttering gratuitous profanities or other inappropriate obscenities
Some dirty jokes can be hilarious. But there’s a time and place for them – and social media isn’t it. No employer honestly expects you not to have fun from time to time. But being blatantly obscene on a highly public platform can be a major turn-off for those who hold hiring and firing power.
Don’t mistake this to mean that if you want a career you’re going to have to walk the social media straight and narrow or ditch your Facebook profile altogether. There are methods you can employ on social networking sites that ensure only certain people have access to your rants, inappropriate photos, and other inadvisable activities (finsta and rinsta anyone?).
If you absolutely can’t live without posting drunk selfies or talking politics, button up your profile security settings as fast as you can. It could mean the difference between landing a job and asking for an extension to your unemployment benefits.
At Artisan, we know the ins and outs of social media and can help you find freelance employment opportunities in a variety of fields. Check out our open jobs or submit your resume today.