So, we pretty much all use Twitter and Facebook, right? And it’s pretty common knowledge that future employers are likely to check out your pages by doing a people search. This makes it vital that your social media platforms portray you in the right light (and not as a drink-fuelled party animal!).
Twitter on its own is an incredibly important tool, especially if you want your career path to take you into the media, journalism or publishing. I mean, for example, following your favourite journalists and newspapers is always going to be a win if you want to get into journalism – you can get a feel of what they’re interested in, potentially gain recognition by tweeting them, and hear about the latest jobs and work experience roles.
However, there are some horrendous social media mistakes which could cost you the opportunity to get the role you crave. Here’s a list of what the top few mistakes are:
1. Sharing too many intimate details on Facebook without privacy settings
No one wants to hear about your relationship disasters anyway, so don’t post them on Facebook! Opening up to Facebook is effectively opening up to the world about internal dilemmas, so anything which could be potentially damaging for you in the future should really only reach the ears of your friends. In person.
2. Having a boring Twitter bio
Yes, you should have an informative one, however, you want something that stands out from the crowd. So having a bio that reads: “Name, university name, age, university course” gives people having a quick look at your Twitter no idea of what you’re really like. Why not put a couple of words in about your hobbies? Or maybe have a more quirky bio that offers your own take on the world. Either way, they’re going to be more eye-catching than standard facts about your education (ugh).
3. Tweeting about the same thing (incessantly)
On the one hand, future employers want to know you’re keen, but on the other, no one wants to work with someone whose only interests lie with the job. For example, if you want to get into publishing, but also love cooking and going out with friends, then brilliant, tweet about all of those things. But, don’t make the mistake of over-tweeting: no one wants to know what you’re doing every minute of the day!
4. Linking the wrong social media platforms
Yes, it’s a good idea to link your Instagram to your Twitter. It allows you to promote work you’re doing on both, and allows potential employers to see another side of your life. However, linking your Twitter and Facebook is a mistake. No one on Facebook wants to see your tweets and vice versa – save people the boredom and don’t do it.
Obviously there are other social media platforms and mistakes you can make with them (hello inappropriate Instagram pictures), but the ones listed above could really damage the impression you make on potential employers. So, while social media is designed to be fun and, well, sociable, just remember that the world is watching!
Are there any more social media mistakes you think people should avoid? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: Jason Howie / Flickr
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