Cautions in Using Social Media

The rise of social media over the last several years has brought with it many advantages. It's connected people in ways not seen before and provided billions with information and knowledge they might not have had access to ... at least, information not accessed so easily. We're certain it's allowed thousands of Concorde graduates and current students avenues to stay connected in health care awareness and in touch with current or former classmates and instructors.

But, have you ever considered the implications of what you write or post on social media and how it could affect your career and/or career prospects?

It's worth considering. According to CareerEnlightenment.com, 79 percent of hiring managers and job recruiters review online information about job applicants before making a hiring decision. Of those, 70 percent said they have rejected candidates based on information they found online.

That means there's a very high likelihood a prospective employer will be one day doing a sort of amateur background check on you. So, before you recklessly upload a bunch of pictures from last weekend's party, or submit your latest 140-character missive degrading your last boss, it's probably worth stopping for a few moments to consider the possible consequences.

Just as Concorde students and graduates keep health care awareness at the forefront of their thoughts as they continue training in health care and pursuing health care degrees, so should they be aware of possible pitfalls in using social media.

What you post and write has lasting implications

According to a September 2011 blog on the website of gotwww.com, a strategic internet marketing consulting service, in June of that year, the Federal Trade Commission gave its blessing to background check companies that screen job applicants based on their use of social media.

"We store records for up to seven years as long as those records haven't been disputed," said Social Intelligence COO Geoffrey Andrews.

Some dos and don'ts

According to the gotwww.com blog, the following is a short list of a few things to avoid when posting online.

• Don't bad mouth your current or former employer, your co-workers, or your clients. Well, duh, you say? But oftentimes the most obvious advice goes unheeded. Who wants to hire someone who might later rip you in a public forum? Also, think you can avoid detection by regulating who can see your posts? Think again. The tech-savvy have innumerable ways of getting around your privacy settings.
• Don't be negative. Know the old cliche, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?" Well, that especially holds true in the business world, where people often have bigger egos and longer memories.
• Don't be overly argumentative. Want to show everyone around you how smart you are? Well, not many want your intelligence rammed down their throats. If you really want to defend your opinions to someone, do it the old-fashioned way - face to face.
• Keep it G-rated. Avoid abusive language at all costs. And, stay away from crude jokes and curse words. It defines your character ... and doesn't speak well of you. This also applies to pictures. Don't post anything provocative, or any content that suggests drinking or drug use.
• Spell check. It tells volumes about how intelligent you are and how diligent you are at making sure you get the details right.

All this is not limited to job applicants, however, those in health care training, pursuing health care degrees. Business owners or executives also need this bit of health care awareness. Your social media footprint is accessible to potential customers and partners. What you post or write can totally affect how you're perceived by those in your community.