In earlier posts I have written about the fact that while social media sites like Facebook & Twitter represent fabulous marketing venues for individuals & [small] business, they are also not without business peril. There have been some notable examples of how people err on these sites because they blur the lines between professional & personal life. This merging of the public & private spheres of life is like a giant pothole on these sites, which is to say the problem is easily seen yet people stumble anyway. Until recently, I have only been involved with professionally oriented sites where everyone's guard is up. However, now that I am on Facebook, I see just how easily those lines can be crossed in a way that could be harmful to a career. A picture posted of someone smoking a bong is probably not their ticket to the corner office. Should that be the case?
The Facebook Faux Pas: A Dealmaker Or A Deal-breaker
There is a school of thought representing the belief that as people become more at home with social media, the "Facebook online faux pas" will become a mere "blip on the radar screen;'' others maintain that if online indiscretions don't interfere with their work performance, it shouldn't matter. I believe this view to be naive & self-serving. Allow me to explain. Part of what employers & [potential] colleagues look for is how you handle yourself in every setting especially personal ones. Why? It's a window into what you will be like to work with as well as providing a feel for your ethics & moral compass. For example, how do you treat the wait staff when dining out with the boss, do you cheat at golf, do you drink too much at business mixers? These are all "real life" examples of where professional & personal boundaries cross & as a consequence, fairly or not, we are judged accordingly. Social media just provides another venue for more information. Is your input responsive, communicative, and a reflection of good judgment or is it immature and unprofessional? Does it matter? In my view, absolutely. Can a Facebook or Twitter post be a dealmaker or deal-breaker; without a doubt-just ask "Cisco Fatty!" She lost her job as the result of "140 characters or less!"