I recently had a ceremonial purging of my Facebook friends and people I follow on Twitter.
Why?
I was tired of suffering from the emotional vampires and ignorant people out there.
Photo from wgy.com
Sorry, that may have been a bit harsh. The fact is, I want…no, I need to surround myself with positive people. The things I see and read affect my attitude.
And I know I’m not the only one who thinks this way.
Here are a few things to evaluate before you hit enter:
The “one word/phrase” comment. ”Ugh….” Come on, don’t go looking for someone to say, “oh, what’s wrong.” Call a friend!
The “I’m going to post all of my dirty laundry” comment. Regardless that most of these posts are over 200 characters long (thank you for not allowing that, Twitter), I don’t need to hear about your last fight with your boyfriend. Keep personal things personal!
And my favorite, the “I don’t think about the consequences” comment. Jello shots are for the bars, not cyberspace. The words that can’t be said on TV should also not be allowed on social media. You are what you post!
I understand we all use social media for different purposes and I am all for freedom of speech, so don’t misunderstand me. I am simply trying to save your future.
Employers now-a-days can view your posts. Yes, there are privacy settings that can be used but a majority of Facebook and Twitter uses do not use them properly.
When you start looking for your first job, guess what – they will Google you! Is there a photo of you from Spring Break? Did you use not so appropriate language to describe your algebra teacher from last semester? Even if they don’t have direct access to your photos, someone in their company or network of family and friends may. You don’t want to lose a opportunity because you weren’t branding yourself in a positive way.
Ok, maybe you slipped by and got the job. Or you’ve been working for years and are new to social media. Congratulations! But that doesn’t mean you are off the hook. If a client looks at your personal pages and reads a comment with offensive, derogatory, or swear words, you may lose the client for your employer or be looking at losing your job. Yes, you are welcome to say whatever you want, but the employer has a right to employ those who represent the company in a positive manner.
Here is my plea to my generation: clean it up. Watch what you are putting out there (and what your friends are putting out there of you). We have a lot to offer the world, don’t let them discount us because we once had too much fun.
What are your post pet-peeves and how can they be avoided? Leave a comment below!