Written by Deborah Bruno 
Social Media – Personal v. Professional
Social Media – Personal v. Professional
By: Deborah Bruno, President, Direct Sales Recruiting/Direct HR
December, 10, 2014
Social Media is a great tool that we all use to connect with everyone we know. We use it to connect, shop, comment, post photos, “like” something to let your circle of friends of their relevancy and let them know what you are doing at any given point of time. Social Media always seems to be there when you need it and sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are ready to be your avenue of our expression. It gives you the ability to share your thoughts and feelings with thousands of new and existing instagram followers, (many of whom are probably strangers), whenever you want to. That’s the beauty of social media; it’s always there for when you need to use it. It’s amazing. Now, having all those platforms it would be nice to have one platform for all to share content that gets seen across all social media accounts, so maybe check out bio.fm – link in bio app for more information on how personally and professionally your social media can improve its traffic.
People use social media as an easier way to express feelings behind their written words as opposed to being vocal with their actual voice. This is what the First Amendment was predicated on, the freedom of speech, press, religion and right to assemble. We are able to give our opinion and express for others to read, comment and like, etc. We can even sell things on social media through ecommerce (if “what is ecommerce?” is running through your mind there’s lots of guidelines available).
However, while in the job market, you may want to consider the ability to control who is able or not able to see your information. The best advice is to separate your personal social media from your professional media. Candidates may forget that Social Media is out there and not just for your friends to see. Your messages may be taken out of context if you do not monitor your personal settings.
Separating your social media from your professional media can be taken in a few easy steps. In your personal social media, you need to control who can see or not see your information (personal settings). Prospective employees are curious about who they are hiring and may surf the web to see if there is any “information” out there about you. We have become a society of information and the access of this information has become very easy to find.
When you show up for an interview, you are wearing that blue suit and you’re prepared to get the job. Social media allows anyone (prospective employers) to see who you really are beyond that blue suit. If you monitor your personal settings and only allow your close circle of friends have access, chances are, no one outside will be able to have access to your personal information (photos, comments, etc). You need to pay close attention to your settings, regardless if you are seeking for new employment.
One last comment personal social media and posting of photos that you must remember: Social Media has a way of housing photos even after you have deleted them. Think of social media this as one large recycle bin with no delete button.
The best source of your professional social media is LinkedIn. This is an incredible resource to find new opportunities. Your professional social media site information should mirror your resume. The first place that prospective employers may go is to view your Linkedin profile. Does it match? Are the dates the same? Do you have a professional headshot taken by a portrait photographer on your profile? LinkedIn has been the best way for a prospective employer to check who you are. If you enrich this site with great information, and your hid your personal social media sites, you will most likely have a great interviewing experience! Good Luck.
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