Social Networking Nightmare
Social networking is all the rage. How great is it that you can connect with people globally – share ideas, learn new and interesting things? Wonderful! What an awesome way to gain a different perspective on things and explore other opinions.
When does the social network become a landmine? I’ll tell you when: when you decide that you are going to flaunt body parts – yours as well as those of your erstwhile friends and any other Joe that went to the party you were at on Saturday night. Those pictures and corresponding commentary that find its way to the likes of MySpace and Facebook will not help you when it comes time to look for a job. Keep in mind that you can't keep others from posting pictures of you in any case - so the best bet is don't do anything granny, or something your future boss wouldn't find professional or nice within shot of a camera - ala Michael Phelps.
It is all too easy for a hiring manager or anyone else for that matter to do a quick Google search and come up with a cornucopia of listings – listings with your name and any other ‘materials’ that are floating around out there about you. You didn’t think of this though, did you, when you were busy tying one on at a recent soiree on a Saturday night. Well, you ought to. Those ‘good times’ can come back to haunt you over and over again when game day comes. The potential boss gets to see ‘the other side’ and this might not appeal to his sensibilities.
We have seen and heard of many that didnt get a job because of something found by a searching recruiter.
There are no such things as secrets. A secret is only a secret of only one person knows. Putting pictures and other things online for the world at large – definitely not going to promote anonymity. There’s a lot at stake. Your future opportunities can depend on your careful consideration of how shamelessly flaunting unflattering photography and other nonsense on the web might affect your job prospects.
The bottom line? Have fun – BUT – there’s no need to leave that kind of recorded message.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of ResumesDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
WWW.ResumesDoneWrite.com
Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter