Facebook Firing
As the largest social site on the world, Facebook also represents one of the largest online risks to your career. Most employers use Facebook, and as such they have the capacity to see everything you post - especially if you decide to make them your friends. Bad idea, as they can base termination of your employment on what they see on Facebook.
Here are some shenanigans you should keep off your Facebook account if you know your employer is watching. And yes, chances are good they're watching.
- Pictures of drunken revelry are a foolish inclusion. A few shots of you chugging a few beers is no big deal. Excessive flashing of skin, however? Deliberate vandalism? Perhaps even the use of some illegal narcotics? Yep, many people stupidly post these things on their Facebook accounts, and though many such pictures are taken down quickly they'll probably get caught by hundreds of onlookers first. Employers are represented by their employees, and they don't want employees who break the law and act like nimrods during their spare time, unfair though such judgements may be. Seductive, sexy shots are especially bad.
- Messages that you did something wrong at work which you managed to cover up are a poor idea. Lots of people discuss their jobs on their Facebook pages, whether their commentary is good or bad. Don't forget, your employer can see everything you say. If you screwed up with a customer and admit to it on your account your boss will see it sooner or later and may call you up for a chat about your performance.
- Even stupider are those employees who claim to be sick and then tell the rest of the world otherwise on their Facebook account. Even if you manage to get away with this, you may still get caught later if your boss discovers you've posted pictures of yourself at a theme park or out camping on the day you were supposedly sick. Post with caution.
- Negative comments about the job in general are also viewed with suspicion and disdain. Don't rag on your bosses on Facebook, they'll find out.
- Releasing private information from the workplace is also a massive no-no. You can get in legal trouble for doing this alongside a firing - and yet people still do it anyway.
- And, last, posting things during the day while you're supposed to be working, whether they're innocent or not, may lead to termination. You aren't on the job to mess around on Facebook, and many employers monitor their own Facebook to see that their employees aren't busy on Farmville instead. And while it may seem hypocritical that they're also on Facebook, you can't fire them. They can fire you.
Do yourself a favor. Stay off Facebook at work, and keep your employers happy by never discussing work on your page. Most other activities are tolerated and ignored. Use a bit of common sense and you'll probably do fine with your account.
