One of the readings for this week quoted the old axiom "it's not what you know, but who you know" in reference to the power of social medial to foster relationships that can push careers or personal interests further. As someone who does not have a large social media presence, I began to wonder what the real effects of that choice are, at least in terms of career advancement. I found several interesting articles that lay out the pros and cons (I've linked a couple below); some of the most interesting points are:
Cons of social media usage:
1. Social media provides those that don't know you an impression that may not be accurate. I think everyone agrees it is important to monitor your online reputation, but that may be difficult, especially if others post to your page or otherwise tag or connect you to content you did not approve for public display.
2. You may need multiple platforms which can be difficult to manage. For 'serious' career-related postings many people use LinkedIn, but you wouldn't necessarily post things there that you would on spaces meant for personal use. This may mean different passwords, different content, and an overall disparate approach to how you present yourself that takes time and effort to create.
3. You cannot be yourself. When using social media for career advancement, you are wise to be much more restrained about how you present yourself to potential employers. While I would not go so far as to say that the image you provide should be disingenuous, much more thought should be put into a page meant for employers - and that they mean eschewing thoughts, opinions, photos, interests and other non-occupational characteristics. While this is necessary, it also takes much of the fun out of maintaining a social media account and could make page maintenance a chore.
Pros of Social Media Usage:
1. Networking is much easier with social media. We can now make connections with employers or colleagues in the privacy of our own homes - in our pajamas! To me, networking is the essence of "it's not what you know, but who you know," and anecdotally, I know of many people who obtained employment due in no small part to connections they made via LinkedIn or other social media platforms. Personally, I've never been great at networking, but I'm trying to improve!
2. Stay current on the latest developments in your field. Social Media is a great place to learn about what others have accomplished and what you could add to your profession. Keeping abreast of current trends can be vital to appealing to employers who seek individuals on the cutting edge and social media makes doing this so much easier now than it was in the past.
3.Using the 'hive mind' to make improvements in areas that are lacking. One of the great features of social media is its ability to connect you with peers when you have questions. Maybe you're wondering what you should include or not include on your resume/CV. There are many ways to connect with people who have experience in getting hired in a specific industry. Even hiring managers will take time to answer user questions on sites like Quora and many others. Take advantage!
Hi Lauren!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Working in the government sector, I never really had to build an online presence or network too much to secure a job (thankfully!) but I really do agree with your thoughts on this post! Nowadays, it has become almost routine and much easier for Human Resource departments to conduct background checks (most people have their whole lives up on Social Media), while it has also become easier to link up with people from similar backgrounds (such as school alumni) in order to secure jobs!
I appreciate you pointing out that this also means that people have to be more wary on what they tend to post online, as these are easily accessible by prospective employers. Judging from what people post online these days, do you think greater literacy and awareness needs to be inculcated at this point?
Hi Kelvyn,
DeleteTo answer your question, Yes! I do think people (young people especially) should be aware of the reality of how they present themselves online could come back to harm them in the future. Unfortunately, what we post online does not often have an expiration date, so things we might have said and done when we're younger could come back to haunt us years later - I'm so glad my younger years were before the Internet really became what it is today!