Social Networking and E-Professionalism

Meredith Jannsen, Director, ASHP’s CareerPharm

Technology has taken over many aspects of our lives over the past decade, including e-mail, cell phones, text messages, BlackBerrys, iPhones, and, the most obtrusive of them all, social networking sites. While playing around in cyberspace may be a fun and quick way to share information and get connected with others, it can also be dangerous when you are in the market for a new job or want to make an impression on colleagues in your field. That is where e-professionalism comes in.

First impressions are everything, and a first impression can now begin with a simple Internet search. In the recruiting field, it is becoming more commonplace to use social networking sites as places to screen candidates before reading a resume. According to John Challenger, the chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., “It’s an essential part of how recruiting firms, as well as internal recruiting departments in companies, search for people. Virtually every recruiting firm today is using the social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook as a recruiting ground.” This is also true when
trying to advance in your profession, even if you are not searching for a job.

Aside from social networks, other advances in technology can also get you into trouble. While text and instant messages are great for coordinating social activities with friends or deciding who will pick the kids up from camp, they should not be used for professional communications. Cell phones can also lead to trouble if not used properly. Keep in mind that anything you put online or send via electronic messages can have consequences, so think carefully about where and how you want to represent your “virtual you” and make sure you strike a balance between too little and too much information.

Here are some tips for maintaining e-professionalism:

• Conduct an Internet search of yourself frequently. You may be surprised that there is information about you online that you didn’t know was there. Conducting frequent searches will help you manage your image.
• When creating online profiles, mark them as private. Make sure your friends’ profiles don’t have any personal information about you that you don’t want viewed by others.
• Be very careful with the content and visuals you post on your personal Web pages, online social networks, and blogs. Avoid stating personal views about your school, teachers, employers, and colleagues. If you decide to blog, tweet, or update your status, make sure you have something worthwhile to say that is universally in-offensive. Photos should be clean; don’t post anything that could appear scandalous. Never assume your profile cannot be accessed by employers or colleagues, even if it is marked private.
• Join an online social network like LinkedIn to highlight your work history and experience and connect with others.
• Use e-mail very carefully. Treat e-mails like professional business letters, and make sure punctuation and spelling are correct. Use complete sentences and proper grammar, and avoid using slang.
• If you’re using a personal cell phone or email address for business- and job-related purposes, make sure your e-mail address and voicemail message are professional.