WASHINGTON: It’s no surprise that Americans love to share. People of all ages enjoy posting personal photos on Facebook and Instagram and tweeting about their daily activities.
With graduation coming and millions of graduates getting ready to enter the workforce, they need to be aware of what is and isn’t appropriate in the professional world. While many employers expect that their employees will maintain social media profiles and even support work initiatives via those channels, grads (and even the existing workforce) need to avoid missteps with social media that taints an employer’s image and can easily damage a professional’s reputation. When people do not use good judgment when posting, and share the wrong content with the wrong people, they can jeopardize their careers.
According to McAfee’s Love, Relationships and Technology study, 13.7% of 18-24 year olds know someone who was fired because of personal images or messages that had been publicly posted. Additionally, females are more concerned about colleagues and supervisors seeing personal images and messages online, yet males report having more social media related issues at work than females do.
The McAfee study also revealed that:
· Only 40% of smartphone owners have password protection on their devices, leaving a gap in personal data protection that could result in exposure.
· 13% of adults have had their personal content leaked to others without their permission.
· 12.5% of adults are concerned that information or photos from their college days will catch up with them during their career.
· More than a quarter of adults 18-54 would be concerned if colleagues or a boss were to see personal images or emails of them online.
· Over 1 in 3 18-34 year olds would be concerned if colleagues or a boss were to see personal images or emails of them online.
· 11% of 18-24 year olds have been confronted by a potential or existing employer about content on social media.
Here are some “do’s and don’ts” to protect your career against social media sabotage from Robert Siciliano, McAfee’s Internet Security Expert:
Don’t deny this fact: YOU ARE BEING JUDGED EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO HIRE AND FIRE YOU.
Don’t friend people you don’t know.
Don’t take or allow others to photograph/video you with alcohol in your hands, drinking, smoking, doing anything illegal, scantily clad (or less) or making those stupid faces. You are an adult now.
Don’t like, share or retweet racist, homophobic or off-color media or comments that make you look like a jerk.
Don’t swear. EVER. It’s OK to say flippin’, freakin’, heck, maybe even effing, and shite. But once you start dropping F bombs, you looklike an angry, uncouth juvenile delinquent. And seriously, I swear like cage match fighter—but not online.
Don’t log on while amorous or inebriated. Nothing good can come of that.
Don’t ever talk about anyone in authority—your boss, coworkers, teachers, students, the president or anyone, for that matter—in a negative tone. Seriously. Unless the person is a serial killer or oppressive dictator, play nice.
Don’t be so public. Lock down your settings. Most social networks have privacy settings that need to be administered at the highest level. Default settings generally leave your networks wide open to attack.
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