Given how tough the economy continues to be for many individuals, hanging on to a job can seem like even more of a challenge in this day and age.
With that backdrop, do you ever worry about how your social media activities could be viewed from the perspective of your coworkers and more importantly your boss? If not, you might want to take some time and review your posts, especially those that could be called into question.
A number of reports now indicate that more and more employers are investing time and effort into seeing what their employees are doing with social media, both during and after the workday has ended. While there have been some federal limitations put in place as to what employers can do in such searches, the doors are still pretty wide open when it comes to this matter.
With that in mind, here are social tips to keep you from putting your current job and potentially future ones in jeopardy:
* Be alert - Know what is being said about you online. If you do a simple Google search of your name, you should be able to see if any red flags are surfacing. Make sure you do this more than just once a year, preferably every few months. While an item or items you posted may have seemed innocent to you, they could have been found offensive by others, leading them to say negative things about you online;
* Be smart - While the party you and your friends were at may have been one for the ages, don't put yourself in the position where a simple photo could get you dismissed from your job. This inevitably comes up during the holiday office party or some other function involving coworkers, not to mention potentially when you are out with friends etc. Posting a picture on Twitter, Facebook, or even a video on YouTube of you and/or others in a compromising position can be more than just an embarrassment. Some employers will call into question your judgment, potentially leading to problems for you at work. Also, don't be ranting on and on about how much you hate your job, how bored you are at work, and how much you can't stand the boss. At some point and time, that tweet or share will work its way back to those who hold your employment in their hands;
* Be understanding - Especially in a day and age when political correctness is getting more and more attention, what you perceive as an innocent comment posted to a social site could be misunderstood by someone else. When that happens, you could be perceived as being among other things racist, uncaring, and harassing. When in doubt, leave the comment out, proves to be a wise approach to take. This especially holds true if the comment is directed at someone you work with, including your manager or the company in general;
* Be productive - Last but not least, don't be wasting half of your work day on social media, as the footprints can easily find their way back to you. More companies are monitoring social sites in today's world, especially looking for people who have too much time for social media, yet not enough time to get their work done. While an occasional five or 10 minute social media break on your given breaks at work is fine, don't be tweeting, sharing, and pinning stuff the majority of the day, even if it means doing it on your mobile device.
So, what have you done on social media in the past that has gotten you into trouble at work?