Is Social Media Keeping You From Getting A Job?

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Editors note: Sandra Tedford (@WeTalkToday), CEO of WeTalkToday.com and her guest post aligns with my belief that job seeker’s discretion using social media is essential to the job search.

Have you ever posted to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, only to discover afterwards you had typos, misspelled words and used more words than necessary?

Then you think better change that, because all my old classmates who thought I was so smart in the tenth grade will see this.

Gotta protect the rep, right?

Effective communication, in business and as a job seeker can either make or break your chances at landing that much coveted contract or getting hired.

When we post to social media websites, we sometimes find ourselves editing our words to make sure we don’t sound like an idiot.

That’s a good thing.

However, what do you do when someone throws fighting words at you? Maybe you’ve pushed the limit, by responding with a few choice expletives. Well, maybe this one doesn’t apply to you.

Nevertheless, it’s essential for everyone participating in online discussions of some sort to be a good communicator. What we write is just as important and can have lasting impact, as the pictures we post.

We share about vacations, new restaurants, celebrities, shopping experiences, online purchases, friends, family and the list goes on. Sharing our experiences helps us express ourselves to others.

When we post to social media websites and the post is long it forces us to choose our words carefully. Being a good communicator can open doors that you didn’t even know were there. Here are a few tips to use to make communicating easier and a lot less time consuming.

1. Don’t Be Long Winded. Replace words with a larger character count, with shorter words of a similar meaning. Writing on Facebook and Twitter in particular, forces us to be concise in the words we use to convey our thoughts to the reader.

2. Be Prepared To Give An Answer. When we write online we may be subject to criticism when someone disagrees with our post. How would you respond? Are you short, using some very choice expletives to convey your thoughts? Or, do you turn the other cheek?

3. Provide Value Added Feedback. When you comment on someone’s blog, provide comments that offer value to readers. The articles author and the readers will appreciate you taking the time to provide thought provoking feedback, rather than the standard “great article” or “good post”.

If a potential employer or company looking for a contractor to do business with, contacts you on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, what would you say? And yes, they are looking on Facebook and Twitter. Would you be embarrassed by your posts or tweets? I’m not saying everyone has to be buttoned down, however, make sure whatever you post online today, is not going to somehow embarrass you in the future.

About Sandra Tedford

WETALKtoday stands for "Web Entrepreneurs Talk" and provides a platform for business and tech savvy entrepreneurs with information and resources to grow their business in the new economy.