Social & Your Professional Life
In today’s digital age, social media has become a prominent aspect of our lives. It’s not just a way to keep in touch with friends and family anymore; it’s also an important tool for businesses to reach out to potential customers. But have you ever considered how your personal social media accounts can impact your professional life? In this blog post, we’ll discuss why it’s crucial to treat your personal accounts with as much care as your business’s, and how to clean them up.
First and foremost, people are going to Google you. It’s a fact. Whether you’re a CEO or an entry-level employee, customers and clients will likely seek out your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. And this won’t be a quick glance either. They’ll be looking for something, even if they don’t know what it is. The varied responses to your reviews, public information, shares, hashtags, and personal views can make or break a deal. You may have aced the pitch in the conference room, but your 2011 politically-charged status update could quickly undo all of that hard work.
Unfortunately, there’s no foolproof way to protect yourself online. Even making your accounts private or disallowing your profile to pop up during a search can still leave you exposed. Once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever. So, it’s a great time to reflect on your past social media use and clean up any cringe-worthy content.
But why are people looking at your personal accounts in the first place? The answer is simple: because you matter. It doesn’t matter what your job title is; if someone can find you and where you work, your social presence is fair game. And why wouldn’t they seek out as much information as possible? Maybe you’ll have positive content, like photos or reviews, or even a status update about how much you love your job. But negative content can be detrimental to your professional image.
How do I clean it up?
Let’s start with Facebook.
Explore your privacy settings and make sure to limit the audience for your future posts, as well as any posts you’ve already shared. Also, consider who can see your friends list and whether you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile. Don’t forget to revoke Facebook’s facial recognition ability and delete any personal information from your bio.
Twitter is much simpler when it comes to privacy. Just make your account private, wipe your bio, and keep your handle professional.
As for Instagram, find your account privacy settings under Connections within your Privacy tab. Make sure your profile picture and bio are appropriate and worth sharing. And never put someone else’s @handle in your bio.
LinkedIn is the grown-up of social media. It’s all about connections, sharing ideas, and presenting yourself in the best possible light. While locking down your LinkedIn account may be a low priority, it’s always a good idea to review your security and privacy options.
Treat With Care
Remember, your personal social media accounts can impact your professional life, so treat them with care. Avoid engaging with clients in a personal capacity and remove any interactions that may appear unprofessional. Your online presence is important, so keep your private life private and maintain a clean, professional image.