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Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Craigslist, message boards and chat rooms – these venues were made for shameless self-promotion, right? They are known as places for people to “get ahead,” even if it’s just socially. However, when it comes to professional advancement, social networking and marketing can be a person’s undoing. Whether it’s racy photos from last weekend’s party or an old resume with information that should no longer be public, it can be stumbled upon by a prospective employer. So if a professional career factors anywhere into your future, tread cyberspace with great caution. Play it close to the vest
“Everything you put online is always there forever,” said Ben Yoskovitz, CEO and founder of StandoutJobs.com. “If somebody really wants to find it, they’ll find it, even if you think it’s not findable. If you’re putting photos up for friends from a party you went to, there could be negative results from that.”Alan J. Kirkpatrick, internship director for the University of Colorado at Boulder’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, recalled one student’s experience with too much information on the Internet. “She was very proud of the fact that she was a nanny for a celebrity, so there was that person’s name, address and telephone number,” he said. “It’s very possible for professionals to inadvertently reveal very personal information about themselves or a former employer. Students also forget that it’s possible for prospective employers to examine their entire web presence.” Online job boards have become as familiar to today’s job seekers as staffing firms were to earlier generations. However, some job boards are more reputable than others and do a better job of filtering out the “spam ads.” When trolling online for employment, be wary of vague wording, low pay, promises of overnight success and offers that sound “too good to be true.” Intuition can play a significant role in weeding these out. Forthright, solid communication is a must, and anything less should be a red flag for job seekers. “There have been people out there deceptively offering jobs for a long time,” Kirkpatrick said. “Common sense will tell you some people want something for nothing. The company should be willing and eager to answer your questions and make themselves available so you can get a sense of whether this is exactly what it appears to be.” On the flip side, marketing yourself on the Internet can demonstrate tech skills, a trait many managers consider very desirable in their employees. This is especially true in the media industry, where media convergence is increasingly prevalent and Internet is the path d’jour to reaching the coveted 18 to 36 age demographic. “Web abilities are relatively easy and inexpensive to acquire and demonstrate,” Kirkpatrick said. “It’s good to show that you have a tendency to use technology.” Job seekers could simply learn new tech skills to stay relevant in today’s workforce, but integrating it into their daily interactions is even better. It speaks volumes about tech ability if a person is comfortable with incorporating the latest technology for better office productivity. When it comes to web sites, having one is good, but the value can be undermined by a tacky or disorganized design. Broken links, outdated information or too much information, and gaudy colors and Flash animation render a web site practically unusable. The same applies to e-mails, blogs, and even message boards. Professional, courteous behavior should be just as important in the cyberworld as in the real world. “You have to have a sense of what an appropriate amount of information is and you have to understand how to present it on the web,” Kirkpatrick said. “You can’t be too crude, and you can’t be too cute. You probably shouldn’t try to establish your web presence until you have the tools and knowledge to do it professionally. Nobody wants to hire an amateur. They want to hire professionals.” So-called “keyboard courage” has made the faceless cyberspace a prime place for rude behavior and information overshare. Buck the trend; be tactful, discreet, professional and responsible in your online interactions. If you say you’ll do something, do it. If you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t say it online. And above all else, if there’s something you don’t wish to share with everyone – including prospective employers – its best not to post it online, lest it become part of an Internet marketing campaign you never intended to launch.

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