I’ll make no secrets about it, I am looking for a new day job. I have a current day job but due to the nature of it I choose not to talk about it on the blog. It’s nothing bad, its just that I enjoy voicing my opinion from time to time and don’t want to deal with the thought of my employer finding out that I write here and having them monitor what I’m saying.
It’s that same mentality that has led to me avoiding social media for the most part. I know of a few instances where co-workers of mine have been disciplined or worse due to posts they’ve made on Facebook and Twitter. As my employer views it, employees are representatives of the company and the views and opinions we express may negatively reflect on our “character”. As representatives of the company it will then reflect negatively on them as well. I can see where they’re coming from as the company wants to protect their image, but at the same time I do think people are entitled to their first amendment rights, so most of me thinks it’s bullshit.
As I am pursuing a job in the domaining industry or somehow related to domains, one of the things I have been doing is reaching out to different domain related and website companies offering my resume and explaining what I am looking for and why I feel I would be a good fit. So far I’ve had several responses and as a result a few interviews and have scheduled a few more. But the other day I was caught a little off-guard when one responder asked if I had a Facebook or LinkedIn account as well. I kindly explained that I do not but as I thought about it, I felt like this might be the first time that not being active in social media might be a negative thing.
I believe that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. are now a double-edge sword. They provide a sense of transparency on individuals and that transparency can have both positive and negative consequences. As quickly as a (what I find) funny post on Facebook could bite me, the opportunity to link up with a potential employer would certainly be a positive thing. And as much as I enjoy my privacy and not having just anyone know everything that’s going on in my life, a little insight into the type of person I am might be desirable to someone who is trying to feel out whether I’m a good fit for their team.
Does anybody else have an opinion on this? What are the positives of social media? And the negatives? Is it time for me to join Facebook and Twitter? While I wouldn’t mind someone finding out that I am an avid amateur chef, do I really want them knowing I was wasted on a Saturday night?
If you’re looking for a domain-related job, try enquiring Mike Mann 🙂
For a second there, I thought Shane got tired of growing plants and running marathons 😀
@Acro I had the same… 😉 and Chris you are right about it being a double-edge sword. There is a risk there since eventhough you act responsible in Social Media platforms you cant be sure that your friends / acquaintances do the same
We’re working on that confusion on the new layout. I’m not only NOT doing less, somehow I’m figuring out how to do more.
Just think of FaceBook as a Giant Rolodex.
You can control what You say, so treat it as such.
It’s a great tool for News Flow as well if you Like tons of Pages
Those two reasons are really why i decided to join.
It also is a great tool to get opinions on something immediately and once settled in help you with your career if done correctly.
LinkedIN is the one that everyone seems to rely on for job offers and networking – it’s also the one I use the least. I long for the days when Facebook was limited to friends from college – nowadays there’s a social expectation to add coworkers (heck, even my mom is on FB), which resent.
If you don’t “friend” people, they get pissy. So my solution is to put all of the work acquaintances on a special list. They can only see certain photo albums, don’t have access to my status updates, and some can’t even post on my wall. My FB’s basically on lockdown.
It’s tricky, because FB keeps changing things every 6 months, so you have to keep your preferences updated. And the new timeline thing is a nightmare.
Twitter is great for networking, and I do have a few domain friends on FB. On Twitter, I don’t use my last name on my DomainSushi account for SEO purposes, so it won’t muddle the search results for any music clients searching for me (my other 4-character account has my full name).
It depends on the position. For example you apply for a sales job but you don’t use Facebook or linkedin. Other candidates for the same position may show that they have networked with influential people in the industry and know them first hand.
You apply for a marketing or PR related position but cannot demonstrate first hand that you know new digital marketing techniques.
If it’s something else they may just want to see the referrals you received from Linkedin.