Employers Are Watching: Can You Be Yourself on Social Media?

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Isa Adney

Recruiters Are Using Social MediaA student recently asked the following question:

 “I want to ask you about incorporating personal branding with social media. I have ALWAYS used social media to vent… but if that makes you less favorable in the eyes of employers, it seems there is no longer a medium in which we can post semi-inappropriate statuses, or share our actual thoughts in the moment. What I’m really asking for is advice on finding that balance. How do you do it?”

Here is what I said:

Personal branding and your online persona go hand in hand, but you are right: it requires balance.

While it can be hard to figure out how to balance your personal and professional self on social media, the process is actually easier than you think. The key is to be intentional and thoughtful about why you have social media and the results you desire from your posts.

For example, ask yourself: is social media a way for you to A) connect with professionals, network, and find jobs, B) connect with friends, or C) both?

 A) Professionals: If you primarily desire for your social media to be professional, think of all your channels as a LinkedIn, and focus on adding value in your field and remaining positive and helpful. Notice the social media channels of the top professionals in your field and use them as role models.

 B) Friends: If social media is a way for you to vent and be your uninhibited self, you’ll want to be very intentional about your privacy settings and who you allow to be your friend on Facebook or who you let follow you on Twitter.

 C) Both: For me, social media is both an important part of my job (I get most of my clients from it), and a vital part of my social life (I love my Facebook friends and Twitter peeps). Since that is the decision I’ve made, I’m very intentional about remaining positive, fun, and helpful. If I have a horrid day or need to vent, I do that with my close friends, in-person or in a direct message. You can also consider having two separate profiles, a private one just for friends and a public one for networking.

Again, the key is being intentional. The worst mistakes people make with social media come when they don’t think about it at all. Choose your number one social media priority, and then post accordingly.

Have fun with it and be yourself, but remember to adjust depending on your desired audience, just as you do when you choose how to dress for an interview versus a party.

Only you can decide your social media priorities, and once you decide, you’ll be far ahead of the majority of people who don’t even think about it.

 

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For this post, YouTern thanks Isa Adney at FirstJobOutofCollege.com!

 

IsaAbout the Author: Isa Adney is the founder of CommunityCollegeSuccess.com and author of Community College Success: How to Finish with Friends, Scholarships, Internships, & the Career of Your Dreams. Isa speaks to students regularly about diversity, networking, and leadership. She’d love to connect with you on her blog, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

 

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  • http://www.razchorev.com Raz Chorev

    The challenge with every social media outlet, is that the privacy isn’t always in our control. People can take pictures of us in not so flattering situations, and tag us. People can share our private statuses.
    My guidelines would be very simple:
    I wouldn’t put anything online I may not be comfortable to see on the first page on a national newspaper, or something I’ll be embarrassed for my mom to see.
    In regards to venting – It’s ok to vent, as long as it is constructive and not defamatory. I’ve vented a lot, but took the time to think of possible ways to fix the situation, keeping my vented opinions as they are – opinions, and giving a way for person/company I was venting about a way to make it better.. it worked really well for me.

  • alfoxton

    Interesting. There’s a flip side here. I would suggest that actually sometimes the on social media sites peopel say things that they wouldn’t say in a public forum.

    I use twitter and facebook. Facebook is purely social and I am not friends with anyone from work on it. Nor do I use it in a professional capacity. Twitter I use for both, mainly work, but I think it helps to ensure that everything I write, or retweet is appropriate for that audience.