Written by:
Reem Hassani

Your Career and Social Media Sabotage

You’ve heard it time and time again: what you do (or do not do) today will follow you into tomorrow. That advice is truly timeless, but as society trends further towards online interactions, it should be taken more seriously and acknowledged in every day actions. In such a tight economy, job seekers (especially recent college graduates) can’t afford to put themselves in a position where employers can reject them based on a simple mistake . . . such as what is posted on your Facebook page. So what do you need to do to protect yourself and increase your chances at a successful future? Stop your social media profiles from sabotaging these 3 things:
Your Reputation
This one’s a given: don’t put things you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see online for the rest of the world to have access to. Facebook and Twitter may be revolutionizing your social life—but they’re also endangering your work life. According to a study conducted by Microsoft, over 70% of employers now use some sort of internet search in the hiring process to make or break applications. A simple Google search can reveal pages upon pages of personal information and photos that give a recruiter a better picture of you . . . beyond what a simple resume can tell them. Everything from provocative photos to inappropriate wall posts or tweets are available online, only a few clicks away from your boss’s computer.
A common mistake that many are making is disregarding these warnings because of their “high privacy settings”. It’s a great misconception that if users haven’t given permission to outsiders to look at their page, then they simply can’t access that information. Think again. New companies are forming that capitalize on providing employers with access to your profile—regardless of your settings. Though somewhat unethical, these practices are legal . . . and if it’s online, it will be found. Companies now have the chance to look past what you say in the interview and judge you by who you (and others) say you are online.
Personal Image
In the business world, first impressions are key; in fact, most managers make the decision to hire or not within the first 3 minutes of speaking to an applicant in an interview. Yet with the application process now predominantly on the internet, the interview is not the first place recruiters “meet” applicants . . . they’re introduced to you online. Often, a first impression is developed by profile pictures—both ones uploaded by applicants and ones they’re “tagged” in. Again, a common misconception people have today is that if their profile is restricted, than these pictures will be unavailable for public viewing. Another assumption is that if pictures aren’t on the individual’s profile (but on a friend’s) then candidates are safe. Unfortunately, recent software implemented on social media sites now has the capability of identifying individuals based on their faces—regardless if these pictures are on the person-in-question’s page. With this innovation, last weekend’s party shots can be viewed on the company computer . . . without your knowledge. In the end, if there is a picture of you somewhere on the web, you simply can’t hide it.
Credibility
Your credibility is something that can be severely damaged because of social media—even at a current job. Unlike image and reputation which are subjective categories, an individual’s credibility has objective implications. In other words, employers use Facebook and such to judge your personality and decision making skills by reading into your image and reputation—yet they use hard facts to judge your credibility as an employee, such as looking at inconsistencies between your resume and profile. Hiring managers want to know one thing: whether or not you lie. Fibbing or withholding the truth is a serious factor considered for both current and future employers, whether that entails misrepresentations of the past, or even discrepancies between work and social personas. If someone is different than whom they appear to be in the office, then there’s a problem. When it seems that an employee is living a double life (even in terms of how they behave or speak) companies are concerned that these behaviors will be reflected in the workplace, and trust is lost. Managers use profile information to question who you really are, and to see if you are walking the line between professional and personal. They are given a glimpse into a world that they might not want to see, and one that you try to keep separate from your work life—leading to significant repercussions that may cost you opportunities in the future.

The Bottom Line
Consider this: if you walked into an interview right now and the recruiter asked to see your Facebook profile, what would be the outcome? If you’re confident that there is no material online that could be taken offensively to the employer, or that could shed a light on you that you don’t want to be seen in, then consider yourself in good standing. However, if you hesitate that there may be a post, picture, or status update uploaded by either yourself or a friend, then take the time to remove these from the web. The only thing to do in this case is damage control: protect yourself (and your future) by cleaning up your social media footprint, and make sure that your social network won’t sabotage your personal network.