Young professionals’ careers are being harmed by social media
Almost half of graduate and entry-level workers (47 percent) believe their online presence has hindered their career prospects.
According to a survey conducted by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, nearly a third of UK workers (32%) believe that posting online has harmed their future employment prospects, with the percentage climbing to 47 percent among younger workers.
According to the findings, even the most senior employees are affected by historical social media usage, with half (50%) of directors acknowledging that their use of social media has had a detrimental influence on their career.
More over a third of UK workers (38%) admitted that if a potential employer viewed their job postings, it would hurt their chances of getting recruited.
While it can be tempting to share information online, David Emm, lead security researcher at Kaspersky, advises users to be cautious. “It’s always worth thinking about how that post will be interpreted by others, especially those who might become your employers or coworkers,” he said.
When looking for a coworker online, four out of ten workers (40%) claimed to finding anything about them that they then judged.
Emm said: “While some posts can be deleted, the content can always resurface and have damaging effects on many aspects of life, including our careers.
“It’s therefore wise to limit the amount of information shared on these platforms and use the highest privacy settings available to limit who can view our information.”
Tony Neate, CEO of cybersafety non-profit Get Safe Online, said:
“Social networking has been – and still is – one of the revolutions of the online age.”
When used correctly, he said, it is an excellent way of keeping social contact, sharing information, and finding new work.
He added: “Our advice is simple. Enjoy the benefits of social media but, periodically, take a step back.
“Use the time to edit and even delete recent posts that might position you detrimentally, minimising the risk of current and future employers or colleagues seeing you in a negative light.”