• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Executive Resume Branding™

Differentiate and strategically position your unique ROI for today's executive job search.

  • Essential LinkedIn® Guide
  • Blog
  • About Meg
  • Products and Services
  • Contact Meg

By Meg Guiseppi

3 Self-Sabotaging Social Media Mistakes Every Job Seeker Should Avoid

social media online reputation management

A robust online presence is great for your personal brand and executive job search, but not all publicity is good publicity.

When it comes to online reputation management and landing an executive job, there is such a thing as bad PR.

When you’re in job search mode, it’s time to put on a good face (online and in-person) so that the first, and each subsequent, impression of you is a positive one.

Hiring managers and others at your target companies will check you out online, and they’ll see what you’ve put out there and judge you by it.

Anything online associated with your name that reflects badly on your character will negatively impact your personal brand, and can cause them to skip right over you and move on to the next candidate.

Of the many missteps I see executives make with personal branding, their social media activity and online presence, these are the 3 most damaging ones.

1. Social Media Snark and Negativity

With the loss of civility on social media compounded recently by a president prone to defamatory tweets, is it any wonder that nastiness and snark on social media are rampant these days? It certainly feels like it’s escalated, right?

Some may feel that mores have loosened, and it’s open season to carelessly and relentlessly vent with inflammatory remarks about any and everyone.

What was considered risky even a year or so ago is becoming commonplace.

We constantly see put-downs of people in the news, past and current employers, and even family and acquaintances.

Yes, some snark masters are witty, gifted writers with the savvy to pull it off, without offending. In fact, they neatly win people over.

Amy Brown, former Social Media Manager for Wendy’s, made a splash early in 2017 with her Twitter dialog with a disgruntled customer. Take a minute to read the exchange. Very funny!

Nevertheless, I advise that when you’re actively job-hunting, tread carefully with what you post anywhere online.

You may have been active in the past on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. with personal rants and raves but now, here you are, diving into a job search.

Make no mistake. Your tweets, and anything you post online, will be found and considered by people assessing you as a job candidate.

Witty and clever tweets are great. Opinions that attempt to take someone down are not good.

And, once it’s out there, you may not be able to take it back.

I’ve been on the receiving end of snark – on my own blogs and others, and on Twitter – and I’ve seen unwarranted attacks on others, as we all have. I wrote about it in my post, Personal Brand Buzzkill: Snarky Comments on LinkedIn Pulse.

I remember several years ago a well-known figure in my field, the careers industry, mocked my @Twittername – my actual name, @MegGuiseppi – arguing that it was unpronounceable.

How could a tweet like that be of any value to anyone?

For tips on tweeting well, check out my 2-part series of posts, How to Use Twitter for Personal Branding and Executive Job Search.

2. The Thorny Subjects – Politics, Religion and Sex

Beyond snark, there are the thorny subjects. Your opinions about them are better left off your social media communications.

As noted in Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms (1879) – a sentiment still valid and highly relevant today:

“Do not discuss politics or religion in general company. You probably would not convert your opponent, and he will not convert you. To discuss those topics is to arouse feeling without any good result.”

Although you build your personal brand around what differentiates you and makes you uniquely valuable, I think it’s best to avoid controversy by throwing these subjects into the mix.

Sure, you may be a deeply religious person who wants to spread good things about your faith. Or you may be politically-driven and proud of it. Unless you’re seeking jobs in these fields, do you think it’s wise to risk offending or turning people off by sounding off?

Give it a go, if you’re brave enough to take the potential backlash . . . and a prolonged job search.

And, of course, pontificating and voicing controversial opinions on social media can pose a serious threat to your current job. Your employer and co-workers may be offended and turn against you. It could make for a very uncomfortable work environment.

More on the right way to use social media in my post, Executive Brand Online Reputation Management: How to Build Your Brand Online.

3. Sensitive Personal Information

I’ve found over and over again in conversations with executive job seekers – and others who should know better – that they mindlessly provide sensitive personal information on their social networks, without hesitation.

For instance, when you sign up for many social media accounts, you’re asked for your date of birth.

Without a second thought, many of us go ahead and fill in the information.

Did you know that, with your birth date, predators and no-goodniks can easily piece together enough about you with what’s already online to steal your identity?

There’s way too much info about each of us easily available online. Don’t compound that by providing the final pieces.

Along with date of birth, don’t post any of this information anywhere online, except when you really have to, and only on secure sites:

  • Social security number
  • Driver’s license number
  • Bank account numbers
  • Credit card information
  • PayPal account number
  • Mother’s maiden name
  • Spouse’s name
  • Home address
  • Town where you were born

In most cases, you should not provide any of this information to employers until you have accepted a job offer.

More about safeguarding your online identity in my post, The Online Safety and Privacy Dilemma in Executive Job Search.

Executive Job Search and Personal Branding Help

Land a GREAT-FIT New Executive GigNeed help with personal branding, your LinkedIn profile, resume and biography, and getting your executive job search on track . . . to land a great-fit new gig?

Take a look at the services I offer, how my process works and what differentiates my value-offer . . . then get in touch with me and we’ll get the ball rolling.

Filed Under: Online Identity & Online Reputation Management, Social Media Tagged With: online reputation management, Social Media

Previous Post: « LinkedIn Hashtags: A Little-Used Personal Brand-Building Tactic
Next Post: 10+ Years on LinkedIn – Why It’s Still Indispensable To Me »

Primary Sidebar

Job Search Newsletter

Today’s job search is complicated. Get the help you need.

Sign up for my popular FREE weekly newsletter for advice about job search, personal branding, LinkedIn, networking, online presence, interviewing and so much more . . . and get a FREE ebook. Read all about the ebook here.

* indicates required

First Name *

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Essential LinkedIn Guide

The Essential LinkedIn® Guide for Today’s Executive Job Search – Get Branded. Get Found. Get Hired.

Job Search Worksheets

Get my proprietary personal branding and job search worksheets perfected over 20+ years working with job seekers.

CareerBrandVideos

CareerBrandVideos™ – award-winning customized video system for professionals and entrepreneurs

My Must-Have Guide to Personal Branding and Executive Job Search

LinkedIn executive job search

20 Little-Known, Insider Tips to Accelerate Your Executive Job Search. My ebook will help you land a great-fit new gig faster!

Recent Blog Posts

  • 4 Ways Common Courtesy Drives a Successful Executive Job Search
  • Smart Executive Job Search: How To Sail Through Salary and Compensation Negotiations
  • How To Get Executive Recruiters’ Attention With The Right Email Messages
  • Can I Land My Dream Executive Job Even If I’m Under-Qualified?
  • 15 Common Executive Job Interview Questions and How to Best Answer Them

Blog Topics

10 Personal Branding, Resume and Job Search Certifications including:

Footer

Meg Guiseppi, Personal Branding and Executive Job Search Strategist

Meg Guiseppi

Legal Stuff

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Meg on Twitter

Tweets by @MegGuiseppi

Copyright © 2023 · Executive Resume Branding (Resumes Plus LLC) · All Rights Reserved