Social Networking Etiquette and Job Search

Nowadays with the internet and social networking there is very little separation between personal life and professional life. With that in mind there are some very simple steps you can take to ensure that you are enhancing your personal relationships without harming yourself professionally in the long run.

We have previously discussed the importance of personal branding and the use of social media and networking in building your brand. Because a lifetime of resume building can be undone with one ugly message or one bad picture, let’s now consider how you can use social networking etiquette to ensure that your personal and professional relationships coexist harmoniously.

Here are some guidelines:

1) Before you say or post anything using social media, think first whether or not you would do or say those things to someone in person.

2) Don’t post any picture of yourself or of your friends that could compromise your professional image. 27 % of prospective employers say that they have used the internet to find information on prospective job seekers. Unflattering pictures of you half dressed or at a party is not the image you want to portray.

3) Keep in mind that everything you say and every picture you post can be seen by anyone: your grandmother, friends, colleagues and even your boss.

4) Be honest, cautious and selective about any information you share.

5) Just as you would in person, choose your friends carefully. Just because someone sends you a friend request doesn’t mean you have to accept. The friends you keep say a lot about you.

6) I encourage you to consider using one social network for personal and another social network for professional relationships. For example when you have a new baby you might want to tell all your friends on Facebook. However this is not necessarily something you should share with all those in your professional network.

7) Make sure you understand the security settings to keep your personal profile personal and only allow the people you know and choose to see that personal information.

8) Remember that a social network is not just about you, it is about the friends on your network. Be considerate and always post positive and encouraging comments.

9) Finally, always keep in mind that the internet and social networking are public forums. Never post anything that you wouldn’t want to bleed over in to your professional life. Always show the same respect for yourself and others online as you do off line.

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About the Author:

Lori Harbeck is the Co-Founder of both GorillaBlaster.com with its mission of putting America back to work quickly, and the President of harbeckassociates.com a sales and executive search firm. Lori has a twenty year track record of success in talent recruitment, employee retention, accelerating time-to-perform metrics, as well as filling performance gaps. She has been instrumental in building sales and senior management teams, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Comments

[Lyudmila Bloch]

Social savvy in business goes far beyond avoiding offense, and knowing to bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party. It tells how to make our way through the world and maintain the relationships that we hold dear.

Lyudmila Bloch, coauthor of "World-Class Business Etiquette"
Business/Social Etiquette Coach in New York City since 2000
@expertetiquette