The staff at CollegeGrad, an entry-level job site for college students and recent grads, believe there are at least 9 things you should never post on social media.
1. Profanity. The language you use on social media is often the same one you'll use when casually interacting with coworkers. A minor four-letter-word once in a while isn't a crime, but if swearing is a big part of who you are, it may affect how employers look at you.
2. Abusive content. Social media can be a great place to share opinions, but if your feed is full of arguments and rants, you may come across as an overly negative person, probably not the kind of employee companies want in their office.
3. Adult content. A snapshot on the beach is perfectly fine but posting explicit photos of yourself can have a noticeable impact on your image. The Internet is a public place. So, before posting a selfie, consider if you are OK with being seen like that in the office.
4. Illegal content. Not only could this get you fired, but it may also land you on America's Stupidest Criminals. Even worse, you could be arrested if authorities see credible evidence of certain kinds of illegal activity.
5. Offensive content. Racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination should have no place in your (online) life.
6. Negative opinions about your job, employer, boss, or professor. One comment about how you hate your job could cause future employers to wonder if you really like the work you are doing or not. And a comment about your "stupid boss" could make your next conversation about the raise you were hoping to get a lot more difficult.
7. Drug-related content. Some employers may require you to pass a drug test as a hiring condition. But chances are you won't even make it that far if you post about substances publicly.
8. Poor grammar. A comma here and there is nothing but if you don't know the difference between "your" and "you're", it's time to learn. Communication, including writing, is an important part of professional life.
9. Threats. It is not OK to threaten others, no matter the situation you're in. Wishing someone ill, whether it is a friend, family member, colleague, politician, celebrity, whatever; if you don't like someone else, social media is not the place to be hurling threats of any kind.
The Internet is public. Remember that when you're posting from your personal account.
