It seems almost a weekly occurrence that someone is in the news for getting fired over a tweet that shouldn't have been sent. As someone who works in social media, people ask me often if it's a fear of mine. Let me be 100% honest.
I fear tweeting from the wrong account, sure.
But I do not fear getting fired over a mistweet.
Why? Because I'm not concerned with representing my organization or my boss. I'm more concerned about representing MYSELF well. I most likely will not tweet a picture of myself or a status update on my own PERSONAL account that wouldn't be safe for all audiences. Even if that audience is the organization I work for or the Chairman of our organization. Would it be silly and embarrassing? Yes. But not inappropriate and worth getting fired over.
I want to just shake shoulders sometimes of people who carelessly tweet or add Facebook updates that are not representing them or their character well.
I had the opportunity to hire someone not too long ago to work along side me and I specifically opted NOT to hire someone because of a post from 5 years ago. Yes. FIVE years. If you are on record (and twitter is public record, people) saying things that would give our organization or Chairman a bad name- I'm probably not going to risk it with you. I'll move along and look for someone else. There's too much at stake.
Those pictures or updates might not get you fired today, but they sure could prevent you from getting hired next year, or even 5 years from now.
Show some self respect.
Represent yourself well. You're worth it.
I fear tweeting from the wrong account, sure.
But I do not fear getting fired over a mistweet.
Why? Because I'm not concerned with representing my organization or my boss. I'm more concerned about representing MYSELF well. I most likely will not tweet a picture of myself or a status update on my own PERSONAL account that wouldn't be safe for all audiences. Even if that audience is the organization I work for or the Chairman of our organization. Would it be silly and embarrassing? Yes. But not inappropriate and worth getting fired over.
I want to just shake shoulders sometimes of people who carelessly tweet or add Facebook updates that are not representing them or their character well.
I had the opportunity to hire someone not too long ago to work along side me and I specifically opted NOT to hire someone because of a post from 5 years ago. Yes. FIVE years. If you are on record (and twitter is public record, people) saying things that would give our organization or Chairman a bad name- I'm probably not going to risk it with you. I'll move along and look for someone else. There's too much at stake.
Those pictures or updates might not get you fired today, but they sure could prevent you from getting hired next year, or even 5 years from now.
Show some self respect.
Represent yourself well. You're worth it.
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