Since preschool, we’ve known the difference between right and wrong.
It’s right to share. It’s wrong to hurt… you get the gist.
When it comes to social networking for the job search, we’re given a whole new set of rights and wrongs. If you’re new to the social media game, this decision can be awfully foreign.
Check out the job seeker’s seven deadly sins of social networking:
Walking away
It’s a tale as old as time: you signed up for a social media account and walked away, never to return.
Why it’s wrong: Apart from the fact that you’re adding to the wad of useless data out there, a neglected profile can speak volumes about you – that you’re someone who is inconsistent and doesn’t always finish what you start.
How to fix it: Don’t cave into the pressure of having an account on every site imaginable. Instead, only start accounts that you can focus (at a bare minimum) weekly on.
Always taking
On the playground, if someone did something nice for you, you’d return the favor, right? If you’re always asking for introductions, retweets, and the like, you’re a social networking sinner.
Why it’s wrong: No one wants to always be the favor-giver. Social networkers who constantly take without reciprocation will find themselves friendless in no time.
How to fix it: If you ask for a favor, try to even things up as soon as possible. Writing a thank you note, taking someone out for dinner, or making another introduction all work as proper reciprocation.
Clogging the channel
Your social network is one giant channel. Too many job seekers see it as their responsibility to fill that channel with as much content as possible.
Why it’s wrong: When one person overflows that channel with too much, for lack of a better word, stuff, no one else has the opportunity to be seen or heard. After a while, you’ll find that your connections will de-friend or ignore you.
How to fix it: Instead of flooding the channel, try to limit your sharing to a handful of updates a day. Handy applications like TweetDeck allow users to schedule out their updates so that it doesn’t overflow all at once.
Forgetting common sense
Sharing that nasty photo from last weekend or posting an explicit video might be fun for your friends, but…
Why it’s wrong: When the whole wide world is reading your profile, an inappropriate post can brand you in the wrong direction.
How to fix it: I wish I could say “use common sense,” but that’s not going to work. No matter what your privacy settings are, follow the Grandma Rule. It’s simple: if your grandma were to see the content you’re about to post, what would she say? If it’s OK by her, feel free to post.
Ad-libbing
Social media is relatively casual, so why not wing it?
Why it’s wrong: Ad-libbing does work for some people, but for many, it just looks like it’s inconsistent and fragmented.
How to fix it: You don’t need to be a social media genius to have a strategy. Figure out who you want to connect with, what message you want to get across, and what outcome you want to achieve. It’s as simple as that.
Not proofing
As we’ve learned from Damn You Autocorrect, spell-check can only take you so far.
Why it’s wrong: Despite the hilarity, sharing content that is full of typos reeks of unprofessionalism. Employers don’t want to hire someone who can’t proofread simple sentences.
How to fix it: Before you send, scan through what you’ve written. If you’re having a lot of AutoCorrect issues, stop using your phone to write important content.
Putting it all out there
You might be using the Grandma test, but it’s still not smart to share every and anything you write on your profile.
Why it’s wrong: On a safety note, do you really want to be sharing that much information with the whole wide world? On a professional note, employers want to see that you’re using restraint when on social media.
How to fix it: Privacy settings do wonders to help you limit what eyes see what content. To start, try dividing your connections into three groups: inner circle, professional circle, and everyone. Some info might be great for one group while other info might be great for all three.
What do you think? What other “deadly sins” of social media can you think of? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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