Being Professional Online
We live in a digital age where one of the first things a boss will do when checking out a potential employee is to Google them. Both before you apply for jobs, and while you’re working, it’s important to make sure your public-facing online presence is professional enough to survive the potential scrutiny of your boss. It’s also worth considering how you can make your online presence work for you rather than against you in the workplace.
Here’s some tips for how best to navigate the internet while still being professional.
Get a LinkedIn account- While not one of the most famous social media accounts, it can be an invaluable resource to help boost your career. It markets itself as Facebook for professionals, and is widely used by recruiters across all industries. Whether you’re actively looking for a job or hoping to expand your network, LinkedIn is a valuable online tool.
Consider making professional social accounts- This is especially beneficial if you work in a creative industry, or in a profession where networking is a key element of your job. Platforms such as Twitter can be a great resource for finding other people in your field and connecting with them without having to track them down at industry events. Just remember to keep it polite and professional.
Thin carefully before adding your colleagues on Facebook- This all depends on the type of content you post on Facebook and your relationship your with your colleagues. If you’re just posting photos of your family and nice restaurant meals, there’s probably not much to worry about. However, if you’re getting tagged in drunk pictures and distasteful memes, you might want to think twice about adding your Human Resources manager as a friend.
Put your personal social media accounts on private- Again, this all depends on the kind of content you post and the kind of online image you want to project. Even if you don’t think you post anything inherently bad on your social media accounts, it’s best to have a bit of a divide between your professional and personal lives online.
Consider what you post- Even with the highest privacy settings, it’s still possible for screenshots of what you post to end up in an email to your boss, so it’s important to think about what you’re posting online. Complaining about your manager, or putting up photos of you taking an early holiday after calling in sick is probably not a good idea. Remember, the internet is forever, and it’s not worth getting fired over a silly post on social media.
Check what you’re linked to- You may have forgotten about that stupid blog you made when you were 15, but the internet won’t have. Think about all the accounts you might have made or comments that can be traced back to you on the internet, and consider what sort of an image they give. If it might be a bad one, try and do your best to wipe away your old accounts on YouTube, BlogSpot, etc., just to be safe.