Social Media Etiquette: 

Tim was an aspiring executive that our firm had been representing for a couple of months. I had submitted Tim for several director-level positions and he was an extremely competitive candidate. I did not doubt that he would land his first executive position very soon. 

And then I saw it…a post that would ultimately blacklist him from many of the companies that were considering his candidacy. Didn’t he understand there were social media etiquette rules all professionals needed to abide by? 

While Tim’s post didn’t completely derail his career progression, it certainly caused it to stall. So, in memory of Tim (ha), I wanted to discuss how important it is to establish a strong and relevant social media presence as well as the etiquette professionals need to understand. And for those of you who have made similar mistakes to Tim, I will also address what to do with old and unflattering content. 

Why Having a Strong Social Media Presence is Expected

Having a well-established and professional LinkedIn profile (or other relevant social media presence) isn’t just for job seekers. In our industry, all professionals are expected to have a ‘buttoned up’ social media presence. 

And here is why. 

Even though many companies are trying to move their workforce back in-house, you cannot deny that our world is becoming more virtual. Using myself as an example, the only time I actually go to a grocery store is when I need something in a pinch. Pantry items are ordered through Amazon, organic fruits and vegetables through an online market, and flash-frozen high-quality proteins are delivered right to my door. More and more doctor’s appointments are virtual…and my favorite new virtual experience? Clothes shopping! Oh, my goodness, how I hated spending a day at the mall because I needed a new blouse or skirt. With free shipping and returns, even this awful chore seems much more bearable.  

And think about how we embrace our ‘screen time’. We crave the connectivity our smartphones and tablets bring us. Google is our best friend, and Facebook allows us to share our Google findings with our thousands of ‘friends’ online. There are WhatsApp channels for every organization we belong to and an App for anything else of interest. And don’t forget about artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI has been around for decades, more and more AI tools are creeping into our day-to-day experiences. Just consider the AI that has taken over your house. Lights come on as commanded, heat or air is controlled by voice, and even the oven can be adjusted with a quick text. As our world becomes more technical, we become more connected and therefore dive deeper into a virtual existence.

With all that being said, professionals cannot embrace a virtual world that is rich with technology and artificial intelligence without also accepting that it is important to have a strong and relevant digital footprint. And importantly, the key component of everyone’s digital footprint is their social media presence. 

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Social Media

Remember the pictures you posted on Facebook from last year’s wicked Halloween party? What about the video you uploaded to YouTube of you and your friends rolling the cemetery or playing mailbox baseball? And can you recover from the derogatory statements you recently posted about your boss? 

You are mistaken if you feel the information you put on your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts has little or no effect on your professional life. Every post you have ever made matters. And this is bad news for some folks. Harvard Business Review recently published an article about how your social media presence can make or break your job prospects. But this isn’t new information. In terms of statistics, CareerBuilder published a study revealing that 70% of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates during the hiring process. This study also reported that approximately 48% of employers check up on current employees by viewing their social media posts. And the most surprising statistic? 34% of employers have reprimanded or fired an employee based on their online content.  

And along those very sobering lines, LegalDive reports “The employer has the right to terminate an employee for any type of post on social media, whether it’s from the company’s or employee’s equipment.”  

While I don’t believe most companies take that strong of an approach, it is important to understand social media etiquette. Let’s address how to fix the bad and ugly of your current profiles. And for those of you hoping to progress your careers, let’s also dig into ways to increase the “good” content so that you are more competitive. 

Correcting the Bad and Ugly

Most of us have posted content that we don’t want a future employer to see. But never (seriously…never) completely eliminate your social media presence. Potential employees want to see who you truly are, so the key is to curate your profiles.

And the first step in creating a well-curated professional presence is to scrub them of any photos, videos, and content that may conflict with the professional persona you want to present. For example, a senior CRA once requested to connect and her LinkedIn profile spoke to her passion for patient safety. She had a wonderful experience base and wrote about how strong ethics are important to our industry. However, I very easily found a YouTube video of her doing drugs with some friends at a party. 

Eek! 

And just yesterday an aspiring CRA asked to join our group. When I checked out her LinkedIn profile, I noticed her last three posts were quite offensive (to me, at least). Is she entitled to her opinion? Absolutely. Am I entitled to reject her request to connect because it conflicts with my opinion? Absolutely. The real shame, though, is that her posts weren’t even relevant to the job she was hoping to obtain. 

Remember that photos and memes can be offensive to others. Therefore, in the spirit of utilizing your social media profiles to grow your professional network and progress your career, remove negative and derogatory remarks, political or religious opinions, and other content that others may view as disrespectful or offensive. 

Keep the focus simple and on you. Your career story should be front and center, therefore all posts should focus on two things: your passion for this industry (the role, the project, etc) and what skills you have that will solve your future employer’s problem. 

How to Use Your Social Media Presence to Attract Opportunities

Make sure your professional social profiles, such as LinkedIn, are completed and updated regularly. You want to actively post, but be sure the posts are quality and relevant to your professional ambitions. You will also want to ensure your social media profiles and posts align with the brand you want to represent. 

When it comes to content, remember that you are trying to attract human eyes as well as artificial intelligence, so make sure your profiles are optimized with relevant keywords but also written in a way that appeals to a future employer. 

You also want to focus on networking. Research shows that when done correctly, professional networking can create a Small World Phenomenon for you. And this is important when you are searching for a new position. Understanding social media etiquette is important when working to actively extend your network. Just remember that developing a professional network is a craft, so spend some time learning how to do it effectively. 

In Conclusion

It has been proven that having a well-curated and brand-aligned social media presence will help you progress in your career. Need some help? Reach out to us and we will help where we can.