In a digitised society, it’s not a stretch to imagine everyone and anyone can access your personal details with one cursory tap into a search bar. This is the case and with 40% of the entire globe on social media, it has never been easier to dismiss someone professionally before you’ve even shaken their hand. Want to a job? Avoid these social media faux pas’.
Actually Use It
There’s something a little creepy about sterile social media pages. A grainy photo of you from a good decade ago, a colourless few statements about the traffic around the North Circular and a sprinkling of family holiday snaps from Santorini. Definitely keep using it. Like your muscles, if not properly used they’ll waste away into nothing. Keep yourself relevant and active because you can really sell yourself if social media pages are done right.
Negativity
This one’s interesting because negativity, when done in a constructive way, can be useful so let’s not write it off completely. However, it’s also important to remember that offensive language or chain-moaning is likely to reflect badly on you. No one wants to see someone who seems to exude pessimism.
Bad Spelling
Grammar and spelling are not accurate indicators of one’s overall intelligence; let’s get that out of the way. However, they are important in terms of demonstrating the level of care you have for yourself and others. If someone speaks fluently and cogently on their social media it means that professionalism is a facet of their personality and something that they simply express in all aspects of their life.
Disingenuous
While this one might be difficult to ascertain if the employer hasn’t actually met you, they do tend to have a nose for lies. If there are marked changes in tone to your posting or if you have a tendency to change with the winds when it comes to your opinions, it shows that you don’t have that much professional credibility. People prefer honesty in all aspects of their life and as an employee, you’ll be expected to be honest and forthcoming when you are in the office, with clients, co-workers and so on.
Over-sharing
Emotionality is a good thing, in moderation. Allowing people you don’t really know to see every aspect of your personal life is less than enthusing for potential employers. Naturally, it’ll feel a little weird if people know when and where you were dumped by your last five partners before they’ve even asked you why you want to work for them, so, for the sake of your career, keep some things to yourself.
