4 Good Social Media Habits That Will Help Your Career

In the not-so-distant past, a well-written resumé and a successful job interview were enough to land you a job. That was before the days of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Nowadays, potential employers, recruiters, and clients also pay social media channels a visit to assess a job candidate or a potential supplier’s personality and relational skills.

So if you would like to be seen as a professional worthy of hiring, you have to consider what you post and how you behave on social media.

Think before you click, as they say, before the world catches wind of your emotional outbursts and angst-filled rants, or your wild partying behavior. Here are some tips on how to P.O.S.T. on social media:

Be PURPOSEFUL and PROFESSIONAL. You don’t need to follow the crowd when it comes posting just anything they get their digital hands on – even nonsense. Post something informative or helpful, inspiring or thoughtful.

Experts advise that we limit our posts to two a day: you will find that more people will read your posts and like them.

More than half of Filipino millennials admit to having ambitions. More than 80% want to start a business, and 90% believe that they can contribute some good to the world. So make your posts inspiring and relevant: perhaps others will learn something from you that will help in their growth.

Before you post, think: is this something you would want your boss or client to read? If not, then don’t post it. You should not only be purposeful in your posting, but also professional in the way you relate with others on social media. Here is some basic etiquette to consider:

• Don’t rant about work online.

• Aim to be grammatically correct.

• Post photos that you consider professional (or at the very least, decent).

• Hide friends’ comments that you deem inappropriate.

Be OBJECTIVE. Before you post a comment or engage in debate on social media, seek to know where the other party is coming from and what their state of mind or heart could be.

Don’t just jump to conclusions. Don’t judge others based on their opinions or their Facebook posts. In everything, examine all sides of an issue before establishing your position on it.

Be SELFLESS. You don’t always have to post a selfie. For sure, we have witnessed the potential of social media for being an avenue for doing good. So maybe instead of our latest acquisition, we can mobilize friends to help where it is needed.

Maybe instead of constantly posting about our accomplishments, we can celebrate a good example in the lives of others that is worth emulating. Let’s rise above the tendency to be self-centered, and aim to direct our attention outward – toward others.

Be TRUSTWORTHY. Lastly, if you want to be seen as a credible and reliable professional, make sure that you verify every news item or story that you share on Facebook or other social media platforms.

With the proliferation of fake news these days, it’s responsible to check if the URL address is legitimate. Cross-check trending news on social media from more credible news agencies.

How you behave and what you choose to share on social media reveal a lot about who you are: your worldviews, your preferences, your character.

Look back at your social media posting history to find out what it says about yourself and how other people – including those seeking to hire you – might view you based on your posts. If we want to behave professionally in this digital age, keep these reminders in mind.

Boris Joaquin is a top-ranked public speaker and masterful trainer for leadership programs and other soft skills. He is a seasoned management consultant, being involved in various industries and business sizes, from multinationals to locally owned enterprises. Presently, he’s the President & Chief Equipping Officer of Breakthrough Leadership® Management Consultancy, Inc.

Boris is a registered Investor in People Specialist helping assess and advise other organizations to achieve their business priorities through the development of their people. You may be able to contact Boris at (02) 813-2703/32 or email seminars@saltandlight.ph.

Originally published in Rappler.com, April 22, 2018.