Chances are if you spend any time at all on social media you’ve seen the hashtag #adulting. This usually denotes the subject doing something they feel is grown up, like making a frozen pizza and doing their own laundry. While many people mean this to be ironic, the hashtag often draws ire over the generation of helpless kids who want a participation trophy for doing their laundry. But the fact is that there are a lot of things you just don’t learn about in school, skills you need in order to be successful in life and in your career.
Employers are looking for job candidates who have their lives together, and just having a college degree won’t get you there. Skills such as time management, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting enough exercise and sleep will go a long way in your quest to become an adult. Unfortunately these are skills you have to seek out and acquire on your own.
Social media is a great tool. It enables people from around the world to connect and collaborate on ideas, experiences, and common goals. Social media can also come with consequences. As social media marketers, we’ve all seen both the best and worst of what can happen on social media.
Adulting means taking responsibility and that means learning about the long-term impact of social media activity.
Here are three tips to remember:
Timing of Posts
Almost everyone is guilty of this problem. Sometimes we just forget that timing is everything. In fact, according to a study from 2015, grownups are equally as guilty of distracted driving, usually on the phone. People ages 19-59 admitted that they talk on the phone, text, or post while driving. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the famous “AT&T It Can Wait Campaign.” A simple social media mistake can change the lives of many. Don’t text, tweet, email or snap while driving. The same goes for thinking twice about posting any content at any time. Sharing an embarrassing picture or a harmful one of your friend could have many ramifications.
Think twice before posting.
Who is Judging
Often, social media is used as a sounding board to vent. Sharing opinions is important but it can also be harmful. Yes, you can have a meaningful dialogue online via social media. But remember, social media doesn’t forget. It’s stored somewhere. At any point, the content you post can be held against you. Why risk it? Your social media content can be viewed by schools, possible employers, companies, and even police. Unfiltered content is not what social media is intended for. Social media can be extremely unforgiving.
Stored in the Cloud
In today’s cloud based economy, everything is stored. Posts, pages, and content – even private- that is shared online is traceable. Likes, comments and moments of snark are public for all to see. These seemingly simple and almost natural actions can be significant. I know of someone who lost their position as a global brand ambassador, just for saying LOL on a political campaign post.
Is posting pictures of recent binge drinking and cat videos fun? Could be. Is it as fun when trying to prove your professionalism and potential next employment opportunity that you’re a serious person. Make the right choice to clean up your digital footprint.
Adulting means being open to lifelong learning. Learn more about some simple tips about adulting from this infographic and get to work on developing a positive social media presence.
