Facebook is a social media platform that is meant to be fun and entertaining, but if you go overboard, you could be hurting yourself. It is important for all adults to keep professionalism in mind at all times. You never know who is looking you up online.
Also, nothing online is every truly private.
Your Pictures
Pictures of you and your friends enjoying a nice dinner, pictures of your kids and vacation photos are generally nice things. It shows you are human and that you enjoy life. However, what you are doing in these pictures can mean the difference between a job offer and not getting a call back. You do not want pictures of yourself drunk, drinking or doing things that are illegal. Provocative photos are also something that you should keep off of social media. Make sure that all photos you put online are at least mildly conservative. Think about how you are dressed, what you are doing and what is happening in the background.
Tags
If someone tags you in something, your entire friends list can see it. This means that you may be tagged in things that you really do not want others to see, but now they can. Keep an eye out and delete tags that are not flattering. You can also ask your friends to refrain from tagging you in things that are not exactly professional. You can also go into your Settings and choose who is able to tag you. Facebook has a feature that you can choose that will require that you approve all tags before they can be seen by anyone.
Your Language
When using Facebook, many people speak a bit more freely than they do in real life. They may use a few words that most people do not consider to be professional. You want to be able to self-edit before posting a status update or a comment. Think about how you talk at a job interview or a meeting at work. This is the language you should also be using on social media. You never know who sees your posts or comments. Colorful language could be held against you. Keep in mind before you buy Facebook likes and fans or run advertising to your fanpage that your language and behavior will be publicly judged.
Your Drama
It is good to vent. In fact, it is good for your mental health. However, save your venting for your best friend. Putting your drama on Facebook could come back to bite you hard. Potential employers or clients do not want to hear about you breaking up with your significant other, how you hate your current job or how your friend stabbed you in the back.
Your Personal Beliefs
Your personal beliefs are very important to you, but not everyone agrees with them. You may apply for a job where the hiring manager has political beliefs that are dramatically different from yours. While neither of you are wrong, you do not want them to have a bias against you because you decided to post where you stand all over Facebook. While it is important to stand your ground, social media is generally not the best place to do it.
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