Social Networking and your Career: More Connected than You'd Think

Social Networking and your Career: More Connected than You’d Think
Social networking may have started as a fun way to connect with friends, but it is now a big factor in the professional world. Today reputable companies use Facebook and Twitter as a way to connect with their customers. What you may not know is they also reference social sites when hiring and often use them to monitor their employees. In this social media day-and-age, we’re living transparent lives.

Facebook and Finding a Job
More companies are reviewing Facebook profiles when considering candidates. Several factors could turn employers off, such as crude language, unsavory photos or excessive displays of drinking or partying. While you may already be taking steps to ensure your page is clean, what happens when you google your name? What are other people posting of you on their pages?

Some companies also review candidates’ social networking in a different way. For positions that require an amount of credibility or exposure, like professional blogging, companies often look for individuals with a strong social network. This means they want to see an active Facebook, a popular Twitter account and a professional LinkedIn profile. For an extra competitive edge, it can be profitable to foot the website cost to create your own domain in order to advertise yourself. And, don’t forget to make your web design mobile to maximize your impact.

Could Facebook Get You Fired?
Employers expect their employees to represent their company well in person and on the internet. Just as you might not get a job based on your Facebook profile, you could also get fired for inappropriate posts.
The most common reason people lose their jobs is posting negatively about their employer. While you may simply be expressing your frustration with a long day of work, posts that represent your company in a negative light could cost you your job.

If you must complain about work, keep specifics to a minimum. You should never post about how your boss is a jerk, the company policies are stupid, etc.

How to Use Social Networking to Your Advantage
Don’t be discouraged; the effects of social networking are not always negative. You can use your social network to your advantage in finding work and representing yourself well within your company.

To do this, try to keep posts positive and drama free. Add coworkers from your current job and previous jobs to build a strong professional network. Always keep your Facebook up-to-date with your work and educational background. Also, post pictures of company outings, volunteer work and any other community involvement to show you are professional and well-rounded.

If you are careful about what you post online, there is no reason social networking sites should harm your career. However, careless online sharing could leave you unemployed with a bad professional reputation.


Guest Author Byline:  This post brought to you by guest blogger Carl Glasmyre who enjoys blogging about anything Internet-related, from what your Facebook page can do for your job search to how your company’s website cost can be better managed.

Facebook Gets Involved in Organ Donation

The always-entrepreneurial creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, is widening the reach and use of Facebook even more with his latest change to the giant of social networking sites. Just when you thought Facebook was a place to simply connect with friends and look up businesses to find items like CJ Pony Parts mustang seats, he switches it up.

The latest change to Facebook is the addition of a new section of your page, which will be titled “Health & Wellness.” 

In this section, you’ll see the option to add your decision to become an official organ donor.

How Does This Work?
Once you’ve decided to not only be an organ donor but also share your decision with your fellow Facebook friends and family, you’ll be able to check the donor option and then provide in your own words why you are choosing to be an organ donor and what it means to you, if you decide to do so.

Does this Mean I Am a Legal, Official Organ Donor?
Actually, no. Facebook is obviously a public forum where you can express more than just your interest in things like parts to fix your CJ Pony Mustang. However, simply declaring your desire to be an organ donor on this social site doesn’t guarantee you are a registered, official donor.

If you are interested in becoming a legal donor via the National Donor Registry, a link to this site will be provided for you on Facebook. Clicking on this link will take you to the official donor registry page where you can sign up to be an organ donor in more than just pledge alone. Another simple way to become an organ donor is through the DMV when you sign up or renew your driver’s license.

What’s the Purpose? Is Facebook Finding Donors for Patients?
No, Facebook isn’t providing that type of service. It looks like Zuckerberg simply wants people to share their own important decision about becoming an organ donor, in hopes it will bring attention to the cause. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there are 114,000 plus people waiting for an organ right now.

Facebook has a massive reach and varied demographic, and it’s clearly already been known to be a great marketing tool. Since the organ donor tool has started on Facebook, over 100,000 Facebook users have expressed desire to register to be an organ donor or have already done so. This is a prime example of using the Internet in a meaningful way, which seems to be what Zuckerberg hopes to accomplish.

The Power of Facebook
Since young people account for most of Facebook’s one billion users, it makes sense to reach out to those people who might not have organ donation on the brain. Also, if someone sees their friend has pledged to be an organ donor, it might spur a line of thinking that wasn’t there before.
Since organs are always in need, it simply makes sense to use this type of powerful marketing tool to do some good in the world instead of just post photos and update statuses!

Shane, a guest blogger, regularly writes about Facebook advertising and marketing, including how to use social media to promote CJ Pony Parts mustang seats.