social media advantage or disadvantage?

In my last post (which is my first ever) I discuss the idea of a potential or current boss using what you have on social media against you. Whether a picture of you in your bikini at your family function should be used against you based on showing to much skin. Even a picture of you celebrating with your friends at your 40th birthday with glass of wine in your hands represent that your an alcoholic ? Well since my first posting I started to research if this is really something that happens a lot? To my surprise yes! There was so many articles, videos and personal stories of it happening. I found a article titled "Yes,Employers will check your Facebook Before Offering You a Job" in the Huff Post Business and writer Rachel Ryan actually found her employees looking up potential candidates for a job and she was shocked that they actually do use social media to see what type of person they are. Ryan talks about how many people have been changing their name on social media so you are not able to find them. Then I think doesn't that defeat the purpose of social media of finding friends from your past? Ryan did ask her current boss if they found her and they said they couldn't find it under her name, then she admits she used another name. I feel that her comment of " we have all been in college" and might have the pictures of the red-solo-cup era up on your site but is that really a bad picture to show. I felt in the article she states that you can have pictures of a beer on there and shouldn't effect the results of getting job, but if your a person that has brain cells don't post a picture of you laying in your own vomit. I than wanted to check on the other side of this whether a person should play the game and change their social media stuff around to fit the perfect for that boss. Another article called. "How Social Media Can Help or Hurt You in job" published Forbes Magazine are finding that companies are using the social media to find out if they know how to spell, or if they are raciest in any way or party pictures on the weekends make him/her unstable? Can a picture really tell a story? If you received a story of a woman who had just lost 35 pounds and was so happy to show off her new body dancing at the club, she yes it shows more skin than normal. Next day a potential boss pulls it up and she is partying her weight loss, should the boss just assume its bad or pull in the person and ask about the story?
Now I have found in these two articles of a person looking for a job to use their social media to their advantages. Make their profile represent them as only professional and great communicator or do you place some of you just human and normal for them to see also? I have a Facebook that I had to change little bit cause my friends where posting pictures I wouldn't want anyone but my friends to see , basically being silly in the moment. So half of me would be normal but than should it not include that I am a fun person? Do I think a boss could over look that party picture? If they get into mine than I think I get fair game of looking into theirs. Does that sound fair?

So summing up the two articles has brought me to a confusion of use Facebook posting against you but at the same time the article brought up use the social media to show the world you are a over the top amazing person. Its like giving a fake resume. But companies are saying that they are finding potentials through social media, that the potential employee could research and be friend current employees that work there and have little conversation to feel more comfortable going in social media there could be to our advantage. So you could represent yourself on that professional organize person , BUT at the lost of one picture or post changes your employer view.

I see the two points in these articles..... Change your name and represent in professional matter only on there to guarantee a job, but I think that is boring. BUT, if you have a more wild social media does that really show your uneducated, alcoholic? I am finding out that you really need to lay it all out to see what would be your different as a employee or how this could just be bad for the potential employee. So now the question I will start to search on is whether you have to change completely who you are for social media? And does it seem far that they want to judge you on your sites so can we judge them? Can you use social media to see what type of boss you will have? I also am looking for answers on if does it matter what occupation you have??


the  Huff Post Business
the  Huff Post Business

Social Media vs Career

Pretty much now in the 2013 social media has become a regular part of our day; You eat a meal post it on twitter, post a picture on face book of your ladies night out with your friends or family photos on the beach. This to some can be really innocent, but can it become a negative outlook to some? Imagine you work so hard through all these years of schooling, take on any job you can and work your butt off to get a chance at the job of your dreams. Your interview went great, they loved all the answers and tell us that they need to do background check etc.. Not realizing that part of that background is the company going through online to find all the social media on you. The picture of you and your friends at a birthday party taking that quick pose with all holding up your champagne glasses, or standing on the beach with your family in your bikini could hinder their decision. Have employers gone to far with decided on whether or not you are fit for their company before they hire you ? Is holding a glass of alcohol making them think your a alcoholic?  Was the bikini picture showing to much skin for a corporate job?
The world is changing so much and so do we have to adapt with it? Or go with whatever we want to do or post and take the chance?  . Not only can it be before you get hired it can be during your employment. I found this article while writing this, interesting after seeing some issues and the results of a company taking it so far the person lost their job because of it or continue with the job.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57391779-281/does-your-future-boss-have-a-right-to-see-your-facebook-page/

After viewing the video and the article it brings up does a company have the right to ask for your password to your account at a job interview? I start to think if we don't give it to them we look like we are covering something up , but than if we give it could they take something and turn it into something that isn't? I will be researching the articles and videos that are on the subject and hoping along the way figure out how serious the matter is of "Social Media vs Career"


Leigh Ann Schwartz