You’re Fired! Social Media Mistakes

Recently, a 16 year old employee was fired from her job for writing on her Facebook wall “I’m bored at work today.” Agree with the firing or not, the reality is everything we do online is visible to the world. This young lady had to learn this the hard way.

Networking online is just like networking in person. You would never walk around at a networking event saying “this place is boring” or “buy my product”. People would shun you. Yet, for some reason when we get behind the computer screen or mobile device we feel as if we are anonymous and can say things we would never say in person. I’m going to share the two biggest etiquette rules to social media use.

Rule number one. Think very carefully about what you’re saying. Don’t say anything negative or controversial – religion or politics – if you’re using social media for your company. Never correct or criticize someone publicly. If you must let someone know they are acting inappropriately, do so in a direct message.

Rule number two. Build relationships with people. You will not make friends if you continually spam people and broadcast messages. Social media is a conversation, a dialogue. It’s not a monologue. Would you put up with listening to someone talk on and on about themselves at a networking event and never ask anything about you? No, you wouldn’t. It’s important you comment on people’s posts, reply to them, retweet their tweets (send someone’s posts out to your followers) on Twitter and thank them for doing the same for you. These are all ways to engage and endear yourself to your contacts.

Social media is a big world. Be sure you practice good etiquette so you’re not defriended, unfollowed or otherwise ostracized.

Feel free to share: