Watch your back! And your front, too
It’s hard enough to get a job. It can also be just as hard to keep one without screwing things up. Sleeping in, talking back to customers, accidentally driving the school bus off a bridge… Little mistakes have been getting people axed since the dawn of time. Now, in today’s connected social media world, you need to protect yourself from a new angle of self-destruction: your online presence.
Now, spouting off misogynistic views online or peeing on a nacho grande are pretty good reasons to get fired. If not for the merit of the offenses, the sheer stupidity of sharing stuff like that publicly is a good indicator that there’s probably some deeper trouble brewing with these gentlemen’s employment. It’s pretty hard to shed a tear in cases like these where they make it so easy for their employers to see what the problem is.
There’s a fine line to consider when deciding whether you should share something online. While its definitely a few steps back from urinating on a bowl of nachos, sometimes it can be hard to tell. Is it a good idea to share my thoughts on a positive thing I think Donald Trump has done in his presidency? What about my opinion on who’s going to win the epic Soulja Boy/Chris Brown fight? Or maybe my film review for Honk If You’re Horny?
How safe is it to really share your opinions or thoughts in a public space? Not only are you subject to judgement from your peers, but now potential employers have an interest in knowing who you really are. Researching potential candidates’ social media is increasingly becoming a common practice in background checks for employers. Is it fair for an employer to judge you based on your online life outside of work? Where does the line between your work and personal life exist in an online world? I doubt very few people would complain if someone got passed up on a job or fired for a racist or sexist online rant, but what about if it was for their taste in profane music? Or their fringe political views? How about their consumption of alcohol?
Meet Ashley Payne, a 24-year-old high school teacher at Apalachee High School, in Winder, Georgia, who was forced to resign after school officials saw the above photo on her Facebook page. As of 2011, she was in a legal battle with the school to get her job back. While one could reasonably make the argument that she was setting a bad example for any potential students who stumbled upon the photo, this just goes to show that you don’t need to post something undeniably inappropriate or risqué to have it come back to bite you.
I was frequently told by my internship and academic coordinators at Ryerson that students should be especially careful about the kind of content they post of themselves online. In the working world, you need to show the best side of yourself at all times and maintain a professional image. This philosophy is personified on social media sites like LinkedIn, where social interaction is strictly professional and career-focused. Which is absolutely fine, given the nature of the site; in my opinion however, it also comes across as visibly sterile and inauthentic. I can almost sense a ubiquitous paranoia on the site, where every user is carefully choosing their words in fear of accidentally damaging their professional image.
Perhaps that paranoia is a good thing to have. As the Venn diagram of everyone’s personal and professional lives seems to increasingly overlap online, where cultivating an online identity is a crucial aspect of working in the creative industries, maybe we all need to be treading a bit more carefully. Provocative pictures, controversial opinions, and general silliness might be better left within the security of personal interactions. Or on the other hand, behind the shield of anonymity that can be found elsewhere on the internet. Distancing yourself from your more personal opinions seems like a smart move to make online, where it can be easily used against you when you’re trying to make a living.
Social media is where you can have fun, express yourself, and connect with others — but don’t get too crazy now, because you never who’s looking…
Where do you think the line exists between our personal and professional lives online? Do you know anyone who’s gotten in trouble at work for something they posted online? Let me know!
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