Wired for Success

Thanks to the recent viral video of the Dove experiment on the way women see themselves, it means more self-examination and better insight into the reality of one’s own opinions. This can be with rose-colored glasses, as some might describe, or it might be in the reflection of the death cycle held by the grim reaper – of which, neither might be true.

Self-examination is key, especially when headed out on the World Wide Web armed only with a mouse and a potentially jaded view of oneself. Job seekers need to make sure their social media personality doesn’t clash with the business profile that may or may not tie in with their real-life persona.

Think of it like this: an applicant walks into a job interview, where, instead of talking about the position, the hiring manager proceeds to review the thousands of photos the applicant has ever uploaded to a social media service. If that thought brings about an uneasy feeling, then maybe rethink privacy settings or better yet, what is posted at all. No one wants clients, potential employers or co-workers to ROFL instead of respecting their skill set.

Keep in mind that simply closing out a screen doesn’t mean that attitude, or worse, that post, tweet or meme, disappears from cyberspace. Contrary to mainstream thought, or better said “denial,” even though online roles can be anonymous or present little foreseen carry-over to the real world, scientists are discovering what an individual says and does online does, in fact, influences everyday relationships and behavior.

That’s a big OMG for those who thought they could get away with living one, two or three lives on various media outlets. So, “Oversharers” and even “Humblebraggers” need to beware that attitude may seep from the laptop to the lounge chair – or worse, the board room – without the benefit of spell check.

However, don’t fear the reaper, or in this case, the blue screen of death. Be proactive in what an online profile can do. Think twice about points and clicks, posts and pontifications.

Social media is becoming embedded with business operations. This information superhighway is a two-way street. Hundreds, wait, no – thousands, make that millions of people are at a fingertip's reach. What better way to showcase skills, knowledge and abilities without the work of driving, copying and faxing?

Build a successful self brand by steering clear of the negative self-talk or the Superman complex and LOL your way into a J-O-B.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos