From keeping your friends posted about your dinner plans to sharing your grievances, social media is used for all of this and more. This culture of regularity and impulsive sharing may often make you overlook the type of content you share online. A rant about your job or boasting about new job offers may get you a couple of likes, but it can also land you in some serious trouble.

Common social media blunders

You may have easily landed a job after finishing your distance learning course in MBA, but your careless behaviour on social media can cost you your job! There are ample stories where people have lost their jobs because of an offensive or unsuitable social media post. Below are five social media mistakes that should be avoided if you value your job:

#1 Posting unprofessional content

Source – Twitter
 

Remember that everything you share online is out there for the world to see. Posting or sharing offensive tweets/posts speaks a lot about your level of maturity and professionalism. Making lewd or supposed humorous comments has a way of reaching your employers. A PR rep, Justine Sacco posted a racist tweet before boarding a plane to Africa. By the time she landed, she was out of her job. So, it is very important to think twice before posting anything online.

#2 Complaining/Discussing too much about your job

Source – Twitter

There are bad days at work where you just want to vent it all out on social media. However, such actions can promote a negative image of yourself and may even be potentially dangerous to your organization. A British teen was fired after she posted about how boring her job was, even though she didn’t mention the name of the company. Even if you’re no longer working for a company, it is vital to never criticize a former employer.

#3 Posting plagiarized content

Be it a professional or personal account, posting plagiarized material is completely unacceptable. It will ruin your career and damage the reputation of your company. Clients will no longer trust you or your company. Always mention the credited source to avoid this.

#4 Browsing social media during work

Source – Pixabay

Constantly scrolling on Instagram or Facebook not only affects your focus and productivity, but also reflects an inappropriate working style. Your boss will assume you’re too caught up in the online world and don’t take your work seriously. It is recommended to stay away from updating a status or posting a selfie during work hours. Leave all of that for when you get home!

#5 Broadcasting your job search

 If your current boss spots you updating your job profile on LinkedIn or commenting on job recruiting posts on Facebook, you come across as untrustworthy, which can have negative repercussions. You need to learn to be smart about your moves on social media. Adjust your privacy settings or avoid commenting on posts that appear public.

Did you know 93% of recruiters check social media profiles of prospective employees before hiring them? So if you have just finished your distance learning course in MBA or BBA and are looking for a job, do a quick check on your social media accounts. Assure that your profile is clean; free from embarrassing photos, spelling errors and controversial content.

Takeaway

Your online presence brands your personality. It can either expand your network and boost your career or jeopardize your job. Staying in the game means being mindful of what you post online. So, take full control of your digital identity by thinking about the repercussions before posting and auditing your profile often. Always ensure it is an accurate representation of yourself!