How social media can impact your career

When I think about my job, especially as a weather forecaster in the military, there are many do’s and don’ts when posting online. For me, it essentially boils down to protecting operational security, national security, and presenting a positive image of the Department of Defense as a whole.

Employees represent their entire work center online. When posts become scrutinized or taken out of context, it tarnishes the reputation of the company diminishing employee relations and engagement in which higher executives will have to answer for on behalf of another’s actions. Apologies are sent out, as well as immediate removals of those who post inappropriate content online or against policy guidelines are taken into account. Employees must remain cautious when posting content online because you never know who is on the other side, reading, watching, and judging your work ethic based upon these posts.

Erik Qualman once said, “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.”

In my career field, we have guidelines set in place to protect operational security and classified information with annual cyber information awareness training to ensure a safe online presence. A comprehensive policy should always be established to mitigate company risk and prevent employee misconduct. General social media use policies include:

• Establishing a clear and defined purpose for the policy and defining the different types of social media use.
• Displaying appropriate versus inappropriate social media use inside and outside of work.
• Notes the consequences for inappropriate use.

Proper social use means protecting the company’s brand. What you post online not only reflects who you are as an individual and the overall image of the company you work for. I can account many times where military members have been called out about what they posted online. Depending on the post’s severity and outreach, it can potentially become sensationalized throughout America and tarnish the image of the military branches. Shari Conaway, Director of People at Southwest Airlines, says “Look at your social media from a lens of an employer and say, ‘What would people think about that?’”

Social media allows employers to get a glimpse inside an employee’s or potential candidate’s personal life. What they see may make or break as surveys show 34% of employers say social media had helped them decide whether or not to hire applicants for specific job requirements. In my experience, building an online presence is an aesthetic. How do you want to present yourself to the world? How do you want the world to view you? Personally, I do not post as frequently as my peers, not in fear of potential employers searching through my profile, but for my own well being, quality assurance, and privacy.

As Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, says, “If you choose to share content publicly on social media, make sure it’s working to your advantage. Take down or secure anything that could potentially be viewed by an employer as unprofessional and share content that highlights your accomplishments and qualifications in a positive way.”