Concerned about a friend who is shown in several Facebook photos doing things she’ll later regret, a regular reader of this blog passed along this video link in the hopes it helps her friend and others think more about their online reputations.
Produced by Common Craft, the Seattle-based “plain English” video production company, the video cleverly makes the point that everything on the web will live there forever. And rest assured what is posted on social media can and will be discovered and used by others, including prospective employers. Last year, I was told that a co-worker who had called in sick proudly posted a photo that same day of the new car he just purchased. Recruiters and others scan social media for information about prospective job candidates. Bar scenes and flipping-the-bird snapshots require explanations that many employers won’t wait to hear.
Be sure to do a periodic Google search of your name since that’s the basic search done by prospective employers, family and friends. I’m surprised with the amount of personal and financial information already available through websites such as Spokeo.com and ZabaSearch.com.
Earlier posts here have urged judicious use of social media, and Josh Morris penned a guest post last year that provides five guiding principles that are worth a quick read.