7 Reasons Why You Should Mind Your Social Media Behavior

Should you mind your social media behavior?

You’ve got the perfect cover letter and resume. The employer is impressed by your education and experience. You’ve landed the interview, and the hiring manager is impressed even more. You’ve done your homework and you’ve answered the questions with so much poised you know you’ve nailed that interview.

The company is interested in hiring you and the final step is doing a background check. You know you passed your background check so you’re good to go, or are you? You had the job until they looked at your social media behavior.

Or you’ve landed the job, but later on your social media behavior has become a problem to your employer. After careful consideration, they decide to alleviate you from your position.

It can happen.

Today, employers are no longer looking at your impressive resume and references to see if you are a perfect fit for the position. Hiring managers are now looking at the potential candidate’s social media. Whether you’re applying for a fortune 500 company, or a even a blog as a writer, they are looking.

Best believe, if your social media behavior isn’t right, you are not in the door or you’re out the door.

1. Social Media Can You Get You FIRED!

With the emergence of social media, companies had to reconstruct their policies on how employees should “behave” when it comes to social media.

Many employees found they were not immune to being given the pink slip after what they said on social media. Some public figures have been made examples of what not to do on social media.

Remember Director of Communications of IAC PR Justine Sacco? After complaints and backlash, she was quickly removed from her position after she posted a derogatory statement about Africa and AIDS on her twitter. She and countless others learned the hard way that your social media behavior can get you fired.

2. Bad Social Media Behavior Will Not Get You HIRED!

People still don’t understand that your social media can help you or seriously hurt you. Sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and even Instgram allow the employer to get a glimpse of who you are outside the cover letter, resume, and interview.

Does your social media represent the kind of person someone would want to hire? If you applied for a position today, would a potential employer cringe at your social media accounts?

3. You’re an entrepreneur. So you don’t have to worry about what you post on social media? Wrong. Social media can make you lose potential clients, and current clients.

I cannot count the number of times people have contacted me for potential business, and after looking at their social media behavior I respectfully declined. I have even stopped doing business with clients because of their social media behavior, especially if you’re tying my business to your name. It is a poor representation of you, and most importantly the company you are working with.

Don’t get me wrong, it is okay to show who you are, but don’t show too much. You cannot talk on your public account about how you would like to work with others to build your brand,  and then post inappropriate photos/content on your account.

4. It just doesn’t work like that.

Things you should NEVER post or DO on social media:

1. Internet bully behavior

2. Random ignorant ramblings

3. Immature posts

4. Personal conversations

5. Sharing confidential information about your job or personal opinions about your job

6. Sexual content

7. You doing illegal drugs

The bottom line is, if you choose to post publicly on your social media accounts, make sure it’s working toward your advantage. The information you provide on your background on that cover letter, resume, or proposal should exhibit the same person on your social media.

Mind your social media behavior, and always think before you post.