You Can Get Fired for What You Post Online

You Can Get Fired for What You Post OnlineYou Can Get Fired for What You Post OnlineIts not uncommon to see stories in the news about employees who were fired because of their online deutsche deutsche deutsche deutsche post ag dhl dhl dhls.While social media can help youboost your career,connect with recruiters, andpower a job search,it can also cause harm to your reputation. Posting company business (good or bad) or that you hate your employer are definite no-nos. Its also a bad idea to share on social media that you have a job offer before telling your boss and colleagues at your current position. And, posting some personal opinions can also get you in trouble, or even cost you your job, depending on the code of conduct at your company. Read on for specifics about situations where what you post may result in you getting fired, along with some simple, straightforward guidelines for how to conduct yourself online. Violating Company Policy Many companies have a policy in place abo ut what types of post are not allowed. Even if your company does not have one, a good rule of thumb is to avoid sharing anything about your job on social media that would make you cringe if you said it aloud to your companys CEO or your manager. Here are a few examples of posts that can be a problem Sharing warnings or personal company information- Weve all heard the stories, like that one person who was fired ahead of schedule when he shared the news that he had received a warning with all his contacts on LinkedIn. That news got relayed to his boss, and he was out of a job immediately.Posting about staffing decisions, new products, or any private or proprietary information is usually not a good idea. A good rule of thumb If your company hasnt shared the information online, hold off on your own post. Providing references/endorsements on LinkedIn Does your company have a policy prohibiting references? You may wind up getting a warning from your Human Resources department if you writ e a personalized plug of a former colleague at the company on their LinkedIn page.Negative comments about your job or clients fruchtwein social media platforms have privacy settings. Still, even with those in place, the world can be very small. If you are friends with a co-worker and post something, details on your Facebook, Instagram, orTwitter post can spread through your whole office, including to your manager or HR department. Its very easy for anyone to take a screenshot of your post, too. So think twice before posting how boring your job is, or how much you hate it. Deceptive posts Did you take a sick day, then go to the beach? Probably everyone plays hooky at least once in their life, but do yourself a favor and do not post the evidence online.Off-color, racist, sexist, or inappropriatecomments This is particularly problematic if the comments are about your co-workers or clients. But, any very offensive comment could potentially be an issue if it goes viral, and is associated with your company. No business wants the bad PR that comes along with an employees poorly worded or offensive tweet or Facebook post. Its a good idea to ask your HR department if they have any social media policy. And even if they do not, avoid sharing proprietarydetails about the company. Job Searching From Work Job searching from workis an issue as well. In addition to the ethical issue of job hunting on your employers dime, using your office computer is problematic if your company has guidelines on computer use on the job. Many companies prohibit using work computers for personal business. Dan Prywes, an expert in labor and employment law, says Employers are within their rights to limit social networking site access and resume posting, and you need to be prepared for the consequences when you post online. Employers have the right to check whats on your computerbecause its not really yours - it belongs to the company. Make sure you understandwhen you can getfired for job se arching. Getting Fired In addition, most states are employment at will, meaning that the company doesnt need a reason to terminate your employment. Employment at will means that an employee can be terminated at any time without any reason (unless there is a prohibited form of discrimination). Employers are not required to provide a reason or explanation when terminating an at-will employee. If you have an employment contract with your employer or are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, you have more rights, but the company still has the right to fire you for cause, and violation of company policy is cause. Otherwise, you can be terminated for a reason or for no reason at all. Public posting of your resume or posting the wrong information online can cost you your job, andgetting firedcan make it harder to get another position. How to Be Smart About Social Media Rather than setting yourself up for possibly losing your job, be careful about what and how you post infor mation online. Heres what to think about before you click to post. Post smart.Think before you post and dont take a chance on jeopardizing your job. If you have any doubts, dont post it.Keep it confidential.Dont disclose proprietary information about your employer online - either good or bad news. If its good news, you may want to ask permission to see if you can post it.Be intelligent.Dont post or send your resume around from work. Use your personal email account, your own devices, and job search carefully if youre currently employed.Be prepared.Be prepared for the consequences if you post something inappropriate. The chances are that someone will see it and you may be in trouble. Its easier not to post in the first place, so you dont have to worry about it getting noticed. Think Before You Post Thinking before you post is really good advice. Thats because once you post its hard, if not impossible, to take it back. (Even a deleted Twitter or Facebook post, for instance, may b e preserved through screenshots.) If there is any doubt in your mind about what you can, or cant, say, keep it to yourself. Also, ask yourself whether you really need to say that and what youll gain from it. The answer is probably not enough to take a chance on losing your job.