It’s almost necessary to be social media savvy these days, so much so that there seems a frenzy to be seen as the coolest, most down-to-earth, real, caring and/or opinionated person on the Internet.
Because social networking has been lauded as a key to career momentum and growth, individuals are running in droves to the social media forums and rapidly erecting profiles and conversation passages. Oftentimes, those profiles and successive conversations are rushed, loosely constructed and not very well thought out. As well, in an effort to be ‘authentic,’ social media enthusiasts often weave in personal diatribes and passionate assertions that leave their followers, friends and contacts reeling.
People try so hard to blend social with professional personas that they create chinks in their personal reputation.
Pitfalls and Benefits Arise When Being Authentic on Social Media Networks
Portraying one’s authentic self without a filter is all well and good for you if you are willing to accept the risk that you will offend some and more so, are willing to live with the consequences. For example, are you willing to thwart opportunities to get an interview with or land business from certain connections based on asserting your personal values, religious beliefs, political ideas or even personality quirks? Perhaps, for you, such divisiveness may be desirable, as you seek to attract like-minded people with similar values and cultures with whom to work, do business and simply, with whom to network.
For the rest of the blog, please visit: “How to be Yourself on Social Media While Staying Professional.”
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Photo via Flickr: marsmet548
There could be no Pitfalls that arise when “being Authentic” on Social Media or elsewhere.
The problem is when people act like being authentic in their “Ego being status”.
There is an Ego “I” that is never an authentic staus.
The human could transform into the real “I” which is not the intelligent identity but beyond that the conscience identity.
Where I live several local social workers were fired recently for remarks they made on social media. We have discussed social media at our last few ethics trainings. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with thoughtfully. It can create all kinds of problems.
Hello Terri,
Thank you for taking time to comment here.
I agree that social media and ethics is a critical topic for careerists, especially those in fields where work of such a sensitive nature is being conducted. The confidential interactions that social workers engage in on a daily basis is a specific example where professionals need to be particularly mindful of how their careers, and their public (social media) personas, may intersect.
Your example of several social workers being terminated over their remarks on social media may sound shocking to some, and will surely serve as a stark reminder to all of us the impact of social interactions on our whole lives.
Thank you so much for taking time to visit and comment here at the CareerTrend blog!
Jacqui