• Understand the differences between using social media for personal reasons and professional purposes

Using Social Media

In today’s digital age, social media platforms serve both personal and professional purposes. Knowing how to distinguish between these uses is particularly important as you prepare to enter the workforce or when you manage your ongoing professional presence.

Personal Use of Social Media

Personal use of social media generally involves connecting with friends and family and sharing personal updates, photos, and videos. You might also connect with others who engage in similar hobbies or interests. This usage is characterized by more casual language, informal posts, and less concern about consistently crafting a specific image for yourself. Here are a few aspects that typically define personal social media use:

• Content: You can share your thoughts, opinions, and personal life events with friends and family. Posts are often spontaneous and reflect personal tastes, humor, and leisure activities.
• Privacy Settings: You may use stricter privacy settings on your personal accounts to keep content visible only to chosen individuals or groups.

Professional Use of Social Media

On the other hand, professional use of social media focuses on building and maintaining a professional image, networking with colleagues and industry leaders, and sharing content that reflects one’s professional interests and expertise. Professional social media usage includes:

• Professional Branding: Your profile should present a professional image in all respects, from the profile picture to the bio and the content that you share.
• Networking: Social media in a professional setting is used to connect with people in your industry, join professional groups, and participate in discussions relevant to your field.
• Content Sharing: Share articles, insights, and professional achievements that relate to your career or industry. This content should provide value to your peers and help establish your expertise.

Why Does It Matter?

Understanding and managing the boundaries between personal and professional use of social media is crucial for several reasons:

1. Employment Opportunities: Employers often review a candidate’s social media profiles to gauge professionalism and cultural fit with the organization. Content that might be acceptable in a personal context—like controversial opinions—can raise red flags for potential employers and may impact your job prospects.

2. Professional Reputation: Your social media can significantly impact your professional reputation. What you post on your personal account can sometimes be viewed by colleagues, managers, or industry professionals, especially if privacy settings are not strictly managed. Even if your accounts are private, that doesn’t stop someone who can see your content from forwarding content that you post. Posts that are viewed as unprofessional or in conflict with industry norms can harm your professional image and credibility.

3. Networking Opportunities: While professional social media usage can open up numerous career advancement and learning opportunities, personal social media missteps can close these doors just as quickly. Something as simple as a poorly considered comment or shared post can alienate current or future colleagues and industry leaders, potentially limiting your professional network and growth opportunities.

You can view the transcript for “Cleaning Up Social Media for Job Seekers” here (opens in new window).