Lately I’ve posted an article that warned job-hunters from having iffy content in their profiles on social networking websites. Still, your profile may remain “dangerous” even when everything seems arranged. All told, employees should also stay wise with their social network profiles.  

According to the Deloitte survey nearly three-quarters of staffers agreed that it is easy to damage a company’s reputation on social media, including 25% who strongly agreed about it. Just read between the lines: 75% of employees are bothered of something that is already in their profiles, 25% can be shocked of the potential consequences if they look over some of the items appeared in the profiles. Still, nearly 30% of the interviewed don’t actually hesitate before posting something in social networking web-sites and don’t think much what their clients, colleagues or bosses may think about it. Half of employees stay sure that their profiles are none of their employers’ business.

Still, bosses think in a different way. When the intention to post videos, images, thoughts and ideas to social networks is a private business of users, a single act can lead to far-reaching negative consequences for individuals and companies they represent. As the popularity of social networking is growing rapidly, executives are becoming extremely concerned with what their employees are about to show to the public.

60% of employers strongly believe that it is their "natural" right to know what their employees do on social networking sites in order to prevent harmful publicity. As a company’s reputation is everything, your boss may want to know that your social media activities are conducted in good faith. 60% of employees just make serious adjustments to their profiles without reminding from their superiors.      

Moreover, some companies even publish guidelines for their employees about how to correctly utilize social media. The Wall Street Journal established some rules for its employees on how to use Twitter noting cautions for activities on social networking resources. The thing is that journalists may potentially use Twitter to promote their works, which is actually not surprising regarding the crisis of offline editions on downturn economy. One of these rules declares:  “Let our coverage speak for itself, and don’t detail how an article was reported, written or edited.”

The policy even requires the Wall Street Journal staffers get the approval of editor before “friending” confidential sources.  Employees are also warned not to discuss articles and interviews that are not published yet.

The situation is quite contradictory, isn’t it? The tendency we’re facing is that social networking is not just a communication tool anymore; it’s turning into an up-and-coming method of online promotion. You can’t be sure of the consequences when sharing the details of your personal life on social media, thus it must be used wisely both for communicating or self-promotion.