Professional Etiquette using Social Media

CS – Professional Etiquette using Social Media

Slide 1-Introduction

Hi and welcome to today’s presentation on professional etiquette using social media.

Slide 2- Professionalism

What is Professionalism? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, professionalism is defined as the skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well. Essentially, professionalism is behavior that is promoted throughout the workplace.

Professionalism is important for the following 5 reasons:

Employers will have confidence in your abilities

Shows you are reliable and dependable

Minimizes conflict in the workplace

Can improve your chances for training opportunities and promotions

Can expand your network because you are easier to work with

Slide 3 – What is Social Media

In today’s world, social media is very important.  Merriam-Webster defines social media as forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content.  These online communities include, but are not limited to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+.

Slide 4- Social Media and the job search

What does social media have to do with your job search?  Social media is very important to the job search today.  Not only do employers use social media to research potential candidates, they also use social media  as a way to recruit potential candidates.  Therefore, standards of professional conduct apply to all aspects of the search: not just your documents, but all  of your communication and interactions with employers, including in person, written and verbal, and your online presence.

Recruiters are not using social media just to find red flags about candidates, they are also turning using it to find candidates to hire.  Having a positive online reputation can lead to a recruiting reaching out to you. So what does this mean for you?  You want to ensure that you have a positive, professional online profile, so you do not lose any potential job opportunities.

Slide 5 – Professionalism in the workplace

In order to exhibit professionalism, there are 3 key behaviors you should exhibit:

Always be willing to help – This shows you are dependable, reliable, and capable of taking on additional responsibility.

Ask questions – It shows your enthusiasm and dedication to the role. It also gives you an opportunity to learn new tasks.

Treat this opportunity as full-time employment – Treating externships, volunteer opportunities, and part-time jobs as full-time employment can often lead to full-time employment.

You should never knowingly ignore the company/organization’s mission statement, code of ethics, or HR policies. This means reading and understanding this information to avoid  negative repercussions.

Be careful not to engage in the Monkey-See-Monkey-Do syndrome. In short, just because a coworker/employee is behaving in an unprofessional/unethical way, does not mean you should too. No matter what your employment status (full time, part time, volunteer) at the time, being unprofessional is never appropriate. Do not burn bridges. Every connection is a possible path to a new career/job.

Generally speaking, do not be afraid to admit that you made a mistake. Speak up, and learn from those more experienced. Employers do not expect you to be perfect. However, make sure you are not being careless, or making  the same mistakes repeatedly. In the healthcare industry, a mistake can cost someone their life. Certain mistakes in nursing practice may result in disciplinary action from your Board of Nursing.

Slide 6 – Social Media Do’s

You may be thinking, “but it’s my social media page, why can’t I post what I want to post?”  Material you post can cause a prospective employer to question your judgment, sabotaging yourself as a candidate.  You want to show your professional side, so you have to make sure you have a professional online presence.

While looking for a job, it is best to make sure you have adjusted your privacy settings.  Some social media sites, such as Facebook will allow you to temporarily remove your profile or make your profile unsearchable.  If that is too extreme, make sure you are adjusting your privacy settings so only direct connections can see what you post.  While this is a good practice during the job search, it is something you may want to consider using all the time.

Make sure your pictures and any images you share are appropriate.  If using LinkedIn, use a headshot that was done professionally or have a friend take one for you, but in a professional setting, with an appropriate background.  Save the selfies for Facebook or Twitter, but make sure they are tasteful.

Besides adjusting your privacy settings, it is good practice to follow some other rules to ensure you build a positive online representation of yourself.  Make sure the pictures you post or repost are appropriate.  Even though you may find something humorous and want to share it, while job searching, it may be best not to repost if you think others would be offended or if it would reflect poorly upon you.  Also, using bad grammar, spelling, or obscenities in your postings will reflect negatively upon you.  Make sure you are using the proper spelling of words, the proper form of words, and refrain from posting vulgarities or obscenities.

Slide 7 – Social Media Do’s

Build your brand by using social media to post respectable pictures of yourself, post updates that show your enthusiasm and involvement in your career and your field.

Follow and like companies in your industry.  This will allow you to keep track of what is going on in your field and show your interest.  Also, re-post relevant articles and tidbits the companies you follow post.

LinkedIn has a ton of groups that you can join.  Choose some that are relevant to your career field and join them.  Actively participate in those groups; make intelligent comments on posts or start posts yourself.  Remember, always check your grammar and spelling!

Slide 8 – Social Media Don’ts

While recruiters understand you are an adult and you may occasionally imbibe in alcoholic beverages, do not post only pictures of you with a drink in your hand.  Also, never post any pictures of you doing anything illegal.  For those of you using LinkedIn, keep in mind it is a professional networking site, so you want to make sure your pictures are appropriate; a professional headshot or something similar works best.

Everything you share is a reflection of you.  Showcasing inflammatory messages or extreme beliefs may offend the person that is researching you, therefore impacting your chances at a job with that company.  Even though you may not find it offensive, step back and think about if others would.  If the answer is yes, don’t post it.

Don’t be a Negative Nancy or Ned on social media.  It reflects poorly on you to post constant negative updates or comments.  Most critically, do not post negative or critical information about your current or past jobs.

Don’t start an account and never update it.  It looks better to stay active a few times a week then to never visit your profile.  At the same time, don’t post, share, or repost just to do it.  Think about why you are posting this article or status or sharing/reposting it.  Post it if it is relevant to your career interests/job search.

Take the “Mom Test”.  Before you share something, ask yourself, would I be okay with my mom seeing this?  If the answer is no, don’t share it!

Slide 9 – Networking on Social Media

Now that you have a professional online presence, you want to use it to network and learn about job opportunities.  Make sure your profile is complete.  An incomplete profile makes it look like you are not detail-oriented.

Start reaching out to those you know and “friend” or connect with them.  Don’t forget to follow or like groups, organizations, or companies that are relevant to your field.  Joining some shows that you want to engage in professional communities and learn the lingo. Start with your university and industry groups.

Posting updates helps you stay on your networks’ radar, and builds your professional image. Many recruiters read your feed!

Slide 10 – End Slide:

Thank you for joining us today on learning about etiquette to use within social media. To reach out department, please email careerservices@purdueglobal.edu.

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