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Wake up. Take a shower. Send out a Tweet. Eat breakfast. Browse your friend's new Facebook photos. Go to work. Come home. Update your MySpace page. Go to sleep.
For many people, their daily routine consists of checking various social media Web sites. The habit of looking at Facebook or MySpace could be one that has formed over many years for some Internet users.
Within the past year or two, companies using social media outlets for work purposes has been a growing trend. So what should you do when you're worried about your boss, who is your new "friend" or "follower," seeing the pictures from your recent trip to Cancun?
When you start using social networking sites for personal and professional use, it's a whole new ballgame. You must reevaluate what you want your coworkers to be able to see while still being able to keep your own personality on your profile.
Benefits of a Social Media Profile
Don't panic--just because someone from your company friended you on Facebook, that doesn't mean you need to get rid of your profile completely. There are many benefits, besides entertainment value, that come along with having a social media profile.
"I refer to social media as a professional's 'interactive rolodex.' It is the best way to stay in touch with colleagues, be present to other professionals in your industry, be visible to recruiters and connect, collaborate and accelerate your career," explains Lorrie Thomas, MA, a marketing therapist with Web Marketing Therapy. She also teaches social media courses at the University of California Santa Barbara and Berkeley.
Thomas adds that a public LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter account can be found by search engines--a great way to boost your professional brand power.
James C. Roberts III, Esq., Global Capital Law Group PC, works with companies on their social media policies, both from a legal and a strategic perspective. He offers this piece of advice for using your online profile to benefit your career:
"Don't think of it as a private diary and don't think of it as your best friend's living room," he says. "Think of it as a billboard but with a 'read more here' button. And a billboard on a potentially busy street--with the traffic you want. There is nothing private about it."
Keg Stands and Grandparents
When you start using your social media profile for professional purposes, you need to do a thorough cleaning of photos, status updates, applications, etc. Remember to perform regular maintenance on your profile as well, and to check your profile privacy settings and block certain areas from coworkers, if that's what you want.
"Pictures of your keg stands as your profile picture on Facebook are not a good idea," Thomas reiterates. "Some professionals choose to keep their religious, political and leisure photos and beliefs off the site. Some professionals only approve friends and not coworkers as friends."
Thomas says she's seen a large trend where professionals are keeping their age, martial status and beliefs off of their profiles so they don't create any pre-conceived judgment from current or prospective employers.
If you don't already have an existing social media profile, Thomas suggests coming up with a strategy first before you get started. For those new grads entering the professional world, Thomas says it may be best to delete your original profile and start over again.
Roberts says to always remember what he calls "The Grandparent Rule." Think of what you currently have on your Facebook and MySpace profile. Then think, "What would my grandparents think if they saw this picture or this blog?" If MomMom and PopPop wouldn't like it, chances are your boss won't, either.
"If it violates the unwritten but usually fairly obvious cultural framework of your place of work--and, as important--your future industry--then it is probably on the wrong side of that threshold," Roberts explains. "If you do not care and think you will not care in the future, then put it up. Just remember there can be consequences."
Taboo Subject?
Say you are having a not-so-great day at work. Should you update your MySpace or Facebook status to say, "Working at XYZ company is the worst. Don't come here"? Probably not. As much as you may feel like doing this, you never know who could be reading.
Thomas notes some companies have internal policies about writing about work on social media outlets, while some may endorse blogging or microblogging to get the word out about the company and its services. However, your facility probably wouldn't approve of you writing negative things about it.
"If the media outlet is tailored for personal life, friends or specific other groups, talking about work is not appropriate. And using these outlets to solicit or air your work grievances are not appreciated, as they are not for the right audience," says Jay Peters, a social media strategist and managing director of New Media for Alternative Strategies.
For this situation, Roberts introduces another rule--"The Girlfriend Rule." He says to think of how you would feel if someone said something rude or negative about your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse on her social media profile. You would be upset, hurt and angry, right? That's probably how your boss would feel if he read you were saying unsavory things about your facility on Facebook or MySpace.
Also remember to think about what you can gain from these negative comments. Usually nothing, and sometimes you can lose something--like your job.
Take a cue from a former employee of the Philadelphia Eagles. Dan Leone, who was a Lincoln Field stadium worker, was upset when Eagles player Brian Dawkins signed with the Denver Broncos. He expressed his displeasure, using the word "retarded," on his Facebook page, to describe the situation (Gonzalez, J. Cold Eagles sure are thin-skinned. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Available at: www.philly.com/philly/sports/columnists/20090309_Gonzo___Cold_Eagles_sure_are_thin-skinned.html. Last accessed Nov. 30, 2009).
Leone got a phone call from the director of operations 2 days after his post, saying they needed to talk about his Facebook page. Two days after that, he was fired. Leone said he regretted posting what he did and he wants his job back.
Thomas says Leone probably wasn't considering the impact of the comment when he posted it. "I think the employee was not thinking the whole social media comment through," she notes. "Social media spreads and this comment was bound to come back and bite."
Thomas mentions if the Eagles had a policy against writing about the organization on an employee's social media profile or blog, then the termination was valid. If not, she believes Leone should have just been given a warning.
Peters believes the Eagles were in the wrong. "It is not an appropriate action for an organization to remove an employee for his personal views, and we will soon see many lawsuits and rulings around such actions favoring the employee," he predicts.
Roberts said it may be all about the wording, and it goes back to The Girlfriend Rule. How would you feel if someone used the word "retarded" to describe someone you care about?
Battle of the Sites
If you want to use a social media Web site for professional reasons, which ones are better to use?
Thomas favors LinkedIn, calling it a "professional's dream social media site" and noting its great credibility and no photo access besides a main profile picture. She also notes it's easier to control a LinkedIn or Twitter profile than it is to control a Facebook profile.
Peters also prefers LinkedIn. "LinkedIn is the best and based only around professional groups, providing a service for reaching out and growing professional networks," he says. "There are many specific sites just for careers, and these are where you should showcase your professional attributes."
Roberts notes LinkedIn is for serious professionals, with Facebook gaining in importance in the professional world because new entrants into the workforce are the site's denizens.
Don't Be Afraid
Bottom line: Don't be scared to use social media for professional reasons, but be aware of its benefits and downfalls.
"It's not a cut and dry tool. There are many options, outlets and tactics, but if the professional has a clear purpose, then the usage will fall into place," Thomas notes. "The worst thing a professional can do these days is not be on them."
"There is a distinction between 'personal social media' and 'professional social media,' and the profiles should be tailored for the appropriate audience," Peters adds. "One should always be cautious to publicize any information she knows is inappropriate or may come back to jeopardize her in any way."
Amanda Koehler (akoehler@advanceweb.com) is associate editor of ADVANCE.
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