Tips for managing your social media presence

Ground rules

The internet is written in permanent ink

• Anything you post online can be shared, saved, or stored indefinitely.
• Assume anything you post is here to stay: even with disappearing messages or on private group chats.

Google yourself to see how visible you are online

• Assess your online footprint.
• Delete or update inaccurate information.
• Find old accounts or posts you have forgotten.

Takeaway: remember to pause before you post

Filter your socials

Make your socials private

• Limit exposure.
• Protect your personal data.
• Stay in control of who interacts with your content.

Don’t post anything you wouldn’t be comfortable with your employer seeing 

• Ask yourself: “Would I be okay with this being shown in a meeting room or at a job interview?”
• Avoid  writing anything that could be taken out of context.

Check your friends’ activities: Have a conversation with them about being mindful of what they post of you

• They may post pictures of you that don’t align with your professional image.
• Ask them to check with you before they tag you in photos or posts.

Build your brand

Create a LinkedIn account to network and to put forward your professional accomplishments

• Having an online identity is still very important.
• LinkedIn is the perfect tool to control your narrative and what comes up first in search engines when people look up your name.
• Read our other blog article on “5 Minute Guide to Kickstart your LinkedIn Journey” to learn more about how to make the most of it.

If you have an old social media account, go back on old posts and check whether they need deleting or delete your old accounts altogether

• Employers or schools could find these accounts during background checks.
• Old posts might not reflect your current views.
• Inactive accounts can be targets for hacking or impersonations.

Pay attention to what you comment on your friends or colleagues’ posts: these comments can still be read by others

• Be mindful of tone as sarcasm does not always translate well online.
• Message privately instead of commenting publicly.
• If in doubt: abstain.