What you post online is for more than just yourself and your friends, it is something that everyone can see and can come back and haunt you later. As many as 70 percent of hiring managers have admitted to checking someone’s social media accounts before offering them a job (1). Next time you are posting online, remember these rules of etiquette (2).

Five things to remember when posting on social media:

  1. What time are you posting? Is this something that after a day of thought maybe was not the best post, or does the content have timeless value? Are you posting in the middle of the night or middle of the day? The time that you post on social media may effect what you are posting.

  2. Are you okay with your grandma seeing what you posted? If you don’t want your grandma to see your latest social media post, you probably don’t want your boss seeing that post either.

  3. What is your motive to posting the update? Why this content? Are you excited to share what is going on in your life, give big updates, or just one-up someone else? Your social media accounts reflect your character. Is your account cluttered and overwhelming or is it well organized and maintained? Potential employers can tell a lot from how your social media account looks.

  4. What do I expect to happen from this post? If the only reason you are posting something is to receive “likes” from others, than maybe online is not the place to share this content. Facebook and other social media platforms have been linked to depression. Trying to gain value from Facebook can only lead to disappointment. Have clear, healthy intentions for your reasons for posting something from the beginning.

  5. Does your online image reflect your career goals? Are you posting content that can help further your ambitions, or is it hindering your future dreams? Follow other organizations and individuals that you are aligned with your career goals. Share content that is in your field, and most importantly stay up to date in that content.

The most important thing to remember when posting online is to make sure your online image reflects the real you and you will not be led astray.

Resources

(1) https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html

(2) http://www.healthyway.com/content/5-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-posting-to-social-media