When most people post on sites like Aidpage, Twitter, or Facebook, we think we are among friends. We can voice our opinions, tell jokes, and basically be ourselves under the cloak of anonymity to the rest of the internet. However, when applying for that new job, or even in our current positions, how many of us give a thought to our current (or potential) employers. Do we think they may be reading what we write, or how we present ourselves?
That’s right! More and more employers are going online to check out their current and future employees.
While you may say you have a constitutional right to voice your opinion, if you are bad mouthing your employer, what makes them think you are going to be a valuable employee?
You also have a right to privacy. Keep it that way. Any posts or pictures you put online are there for everyone to see – keep your profile private. How many remember when little Caylee Anthony went missing? Within days we all saw pictures of her mother partying with friends, even though her daughter was gone - all because she posted them online. She didn’t look very convincing as a grieving mother then.
Remember big brother IS watching. A little information goes a long way. Even keeping your opinions private may not help matters. A private text to a friend (or frenemy) could always be intercepted or inadvertently sent to the wrong person – ever hit the “reply all” button by accident? It could mean the difference between your next paycheck and the unemployment line.
Stranger – DANGER! Collection agencies are getting in on the act too. Several years ago, when I worked as a skip tracer, we had state of the art equipment to track down debtors. Today, all anyone needs is an internet connection. While they may not contact you on a social media page, they can keep track of your postings. Plus, they can assume an identity and befriend you to collect even more information. If you are planning on making a large purchase, or already have, do NOT announce it to the world!
Do NOT recycle! Are your passwords the same every time, for every site? If your Id, passwords, and security questions are repetitive, change them up and write them down! While security measures are getting more complex for sites, and more confusing for users, if you continually re-use the same information, it is only a matter of time before someone discovers your secret and hacks your accounts. Also, if the information is optional, it means just that – optional! It is NOT required to have an account. DO NOT FILL IT OUT! No one needs that much information about you.
Just remember a little common sense can go a very long way…
