There are lots of opportunities on social media. It’s so powerful, that for some professional business people, being on social media can create networking opportunities that boost careers sky high. However, for some others, careers are ended on social media. You don’t want to be one of them. Always avoid these seven social media mistakes:
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Don’t Complain About Your Boss
You never want to put your complaints about your job or your boss out there on social media. You may think your post is safe from the eyes of your boss. However, you must realize that a colleague could see the information and forward it to your boss.
Besides, the comment may not hurt your job now. However, the past could come back to haunt you. For example, a potential employer might see it and conclude that hiring you is a bad risk given that you’ve badmouthed past employers. Always make sure to put your best foot forward.
Don’t Reveal Your Latest Job Offer on Social Media
Sometimes job offers are confidential. Also, just because you’ve received a job offer doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed. If you break confidentiality, your employer may decide that you can’t be trusted, and they may revoke your job offer.
Whatever you do, don’t say anything negative about the job you’ve been offered. For example, Mashable reported that a woman got on social media and said that the company Cisco offered her a job, but that she had to decide if the hefty paycheck was worth commuting to San Jose and hating the job.
As you can probably guess, a Cisco employee saw the social media post, and the woman lost her job offer before her first day on the job.
Don’t Use Texting Language
It’s the 21st-century and texting language is all the rage. Texting language is especially helpful when you’re posting on your iPad Air or trying to make a tweet fit. However, how professional is that? You should always spell everything out. If you’re even thinking of doing or ever have done so on a CV – then just consider hiring an Australian CV writer or a CV writer in your nation to create a resume. You can’t be trusted!
Don’t Post Photos With Alcohol
It doesn’t matter if you’re over 21. Don’t post photos with alcohol. Doing so can cost you your job. Posting images of yourself with alcohol or in compromising situations is one of the top ways to not get an interview or job offer
Don’t Plagiarize
What’s typical to avoid on social media? It’s obvious things like bikini pictures, drug pictures, or videos of profanity use. All of these things can make a person lose a job pretty quickly. However, there’s something even worse than that to damage a career and that’s plagiarism.
It’s important that you don’t plagiarize. Why? Plagiarism is a complete “no-no” in the business world. Not only should you never do it, if you plagiarize, the act will follow you throughout your career.
You rant on social media, and it may not prevent a company from hiring you. However, if you plagiarize, you are letting a company know that you lack integrity. Furthermore, companies will see you as incompetent and lazy.
Not only should your professional accounts be plagiarism free; your personal accounts must also be plagiarism free. For example, did you post a photo? If so, did you credit the photographer? Or in another example, did you quote an article? If so, did you credit the author of the article?
Don’t Post Tasteless Comments
What can cost you your job? Posting a comment meant to offend a group or a person. Here’s an example – CNN reports that a former Washington National radio show producer tweeted content that was not only inflammatory but racist, about the folks in San Antonio, while he was drunk and after his team lost.
The other people on the radio show were not impressed, and he was fired as a result. So, whenever you are on the Internet, don’t post tasteless comments, even if you think they are just a harmless joke.
Don’t Mock Your Customers
Mocking your customers on social media is just like complaining about your boss on social media. Both can have very poor effects. For example, there have been some waiters who took photos of poor tips and then post those photos online. As a result, they were fired.
So, don’t mock your customers. It has the effect of reflecting poorly on your company, and most companies won’t put up with that.
About Carson Derrow
