Use Social Media to Improve Your Employment Value

The ever-expanding influence of social media has finally become a major component in the workplace and in Human Resource departments across America. Once you accept this reality, you should learn to use social media to your advantage. However, also understand that, like all features, social media use comes with a caveat.

Some Employers Use Social Media to Monitor Employees

Many businesses are seriously concerned about the effect of social media, particularly Twitter, on their ability to control their corporate “message.” The ability for employees to release inside information, rumor, misinformation, and complaints to the world, concerns management greatly.

Some employers now monitor networking sites, like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn, blogs, and other sources to learn what their employees are saying about the company. While there is much debate about the legality of some management actions, business monitoring of employee social networking pages and blogs is growing.

Originally, many employers voiced concern that using social media at the workplace was negatively affecting employee productivity. As a recent article appearing on the Innovative Employee Solutions® website so accurately states, many employers are now using an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach.

The management concern about information control still exists. However, more organizations are now using social networking for more positive purposes.

Potential and Current Employee Screening

Instead of viewing social media, except for its tantalizing marketing opportunities, as a troubling development, many businesses now employ these sites as screening tools. While the final legality of using social media for staff monitoring or pre-employment screening has yet to be determined, thousands of employers, large and small, are taking advantage of the features.

• Pre-employment background checks. Thousands of employers now use social networking sites to conduct “unofficial” background and character evaluations of potential employees. While LinkedIn is the most popular “professional” networking site for employees and entrepreneurs, employers also visit much more “casual” Facebook and MySpace pages, as well. Workers seeking new employment are wise to monitor their entries on these sites.

For example, you may create a highly professional LinkedIn career-oriented site, impressing potential employers and peers alike. However, if your Facebook page contains photos of beach beer parties and you dancing on bar tables, you will lose all the goodwill and respect you created on LinkedIn. Once you are beyond high school or college age, you should remember that social media sites are available to all—even current and potential future employers.

• The more “dynamic” resume evaluation. Resumes and CVs are necessary. But, even the best resume has never delivered a job offer. Resumes, if read, can lead to job interviews. That is their only effective purpose. Posting a more dynamic resume on a social networking site might lead to a more thorough or favorable employer assessment. If you’re a bit frustrated when having to submit boring simple text resumes to electronic job searches, using social media to put more “life” in your CV may work well. Remember, HR people read electronic plain text resumes daily. They can become no less bored than you are when submitting them. Adding a little “spark” to the same information brightens an HR employee’s day just as it better showcases your candidacy for a new position.
  
• Information dissemination issues. Employers often examine social media and blog sites to learn what current employees are talking about. Be aware that employers are very concerned about inside information or rumors that leave the workplace. Post only that information that your employer permits.
  
  
• Current employee activities and images. Monitoring current staff activities publicly posted on social networking pages provides employers with information they might not otherwise learn. This information can help or harm their perception of an employee. Try to be totally honest and, if possible, “conservative” with the information you post on your social media pages.
  
  
• Legal issue concerns. Understand that, while most legality issues have not yet been addressed, postings at your social network pages or blogs are yours, and your voluntary actions. However, an American Management Association survey (2009) revealed that 52 percent of U.S. employers have terminated one or more employees for e-mail or web posting company employment policies. When you sign your employee/HR manual, you typically agree to abide by its contents. Since you agreed to these policies, inappropriate e-mail or web usage or messages may be grounds for termination.

As you can see from these popular uses of social media, you can use its power to advance or damage your professional career. Obviously, learning to employ social networking and blogs to improve your career is important.

Use the influence of social media to further your journey to career success. Employers utilizing these sites should not be viewed as “big brother is watching.” You choose the words and pictures for your pages. There is no obvious invasion of privacy or overt influence by your employer. Management or HR staff is merely reading what you, not they, posted. You have all the power. Use it wisely.

Source:

http://www.innovativeemployeesolutions.com/knowledge/articles/facebook/