Your posts might haunt you forever

The internet is a wonderful tool, but it is also a tool that we have to use wisely.

It is astonishing how many emails I receive from young people asking us to remove a missing person’s article that was published on our websites a few years ago. The reasons they state usually include the following, “I am in the process of applying for employment, and this article is making it difficult for me to find a job”.

This made me think, do young people really realise how their social media activity can impact their lives? It is well known that, once something is posted on social media platforms, the chances of it being on the internet forever, are quite good. One photo can be shared a million times and you can never be sure exactly where that photo will end up.

I have had many talks with my daughters, trying to educate them on their social media use as you will never know exactly who is viewing your profiles. You might think that photo you posted is cute, that meme you shared is funny or your comment on a friend’s timeline was witty, but your future employer might not share that sentiment.

I speak from experience when I say that many employers use social media during the hiring process. I have checked out almost every prospective candidate’s Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts, and based many a decision on what I have found there. The opposite is also true; an employer might also feel hesitant if a prospective employee cannot be found on any platform.

So, what should you do? It is all about balance. If you are very active on social media platforms, ensure your activity is of such a nature that it would not put you in a bad light. Try not to post that provocative photo, snarky comment or videos/ memes about politics, religion or any other subject that might land you in hot water. If you have been employed before, keep your complaints about your previous employer off social media. You can also go through your social media accounts and ensure all the photos/ memes, status updates/ videos your friends have tagged you in, are above board. Check your social media posts for grammar and spelling mistakes and correct them, your use of ‘there, their and they’re’ might just put your future employer off. It can also prove valuable to google yourself every once in a while.

If you do not have any social media accounts at all, try to at least have an updated LinkedIn profile, to ensue you are not totally invisible.

Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …