In today's world, having a social media account is the norm. In fact, most people have multiple profiles on a number of different social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or smaller networks related to their professional industry. While these websites can substantially boost students' chances of finding promising job opportunities and making valuable connections, they can also be a hindrance to a student's overall reputation.
Even if professionals think they are being subtle or private when talking about their jobs, a coworker or something else related to their company, their supposedly coy message is often much more obvious than they think. Additionally, they might assume that since they are posting on their own personal website or social profile, that they cannot get in trouble by their employer for these writings. However, that is not necessarily the case.
Be Careful
Essentially, anything an employer sees on the internet could come back to haunt you. To be on the safe side, students should be extra mindful of their actions on public websites, and before each post, imagine how they would feel if a boss or other colleague read the message. If they are uneasy, then the best thing to do is scrap the post altogether.
Vent Somewhere Else
Many professionals finish up a work day or week feeling like they have to release some tension, caused by their workload or a particular coworker or supervisor. In these cases, workers should not turn to their laptops. Negative sentiments about an employer or coworker should never be expressed on sites like Facebook or Twitter. While this advice will be beneficial to all students enrolled in career training programs, those entering a field that requires them to work with the public, such as healthcare, may want to clean up their social media accounts.