@INFLUENCER: I’m not a social media superstar. Just a star. Recently, I got into trouble by positing an uncensored wrath about work on FB. My boss is a friend and she saw it. Because I’m clever enough, I came out from the HR process unscathed. But my relationship with my boss, as we speak, is on a downward spiral. She’d say there’s no change in her behavior towards me after what happened. But I can sense there is. It’s burrowing into the skin of my body like an overzealous bed bug on a mission. Please don’t tell me karma is digital. But do tell me if you think there’s still a point working in this company. Can I still grow in the hierarchy? I have ambitions, you know. And was it really a bad idea to have my boss as my social media friend?
DJ: Do you have skeletons in your virtual closet? Are you giving your manager a front row seat to your drama? Why not hand her the popcorn too? There is a proverb reminding people not to wash their dirty linens in public. Online outbursts about problems or spats at work or in life on social media are huge risks. Okay, you have the right to free speech and post whatever you want in your personal space. All for the sake of preserving your mental health. Don’t you think the people you are posting about also have the right to be heard? There are three sides in every story — your side, the company’s side and what really happened.
Why not work things through directly with the person? Taking personal issues online just renders private matters for the whole universe to see. The world rather. What for? Sure, it can bring temporary relief and validation. But does everyone really care? Chances are, people would only feast on the gossip as a form of entertainment then move on to the next. Online tirades — at work or in life — just put kerosene to the fire. How clever is that? And if you changed your mind, you already dropped a bunch of cotton from a church tower. Can you still collect them all back?
Can you still climb up the corporate ladder? Well, think about it before clicking on the post. Regardless of whether your boss is your friend on social media, whatever content you put out there can affect your future. An article published last month in the New York Post said that 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring. I do that too. And no matter how right you think you are, are you sure the one reading it — the hiring manager you hoped to give you the break -– will agree with you? You have ambitions, right?
Posting your angst serves as a data point for a background check. It haunts you as an overzealous bed bug on a mission would. There’s forever online. What you publish on Facebook can find its way to TikTok or IG and vice versa. Whether we like it or not, these platforms integrate our personal and working lives. Besides, another study called “Anger on the Internet: The Perceived Value of Rant-Sites” also showed that writing one’s own rants for a period of more than five minutes flares up a person even more. The reader’s mood declines as well after reading the rant. How can one win in this situation? Why don’t you look out for a support system like friends and family who can listen and give you real time feedback? Unlike just spouting off on Twitter, a rational conversation leads to insights and lessons learned.
Social media, in my opinion, is a blessing or a curse. The upside of it is it fosters camaraderie, connection and relatability. The platform contributes to the good or bad of your reputation. The issue is not whether your boss is a friend on social media. The question is about how a star like you is using social media. As the wise often say, communication isn’t just about what you say. It’s also knowing what not to say. The same holds true with any social media platform. It is power and a responsibility. Now, are you up to the task?