When you register for just about any website it asks you for a real name and a username. Even on blogger, you have a profile with a real name and a username and even your GMail address can reveal information about you. Now I consider myself a professional worker. I work in a corporate-type environment where business casual dress is required, some days I might even need a tie depending who I'm meeting with. I've started blogging, have GMail accounts, started with a bunch of social networking sites (twitter, LinkedIn, etc) and am wondering a few things.... How much is too much?
How much information should you be revealing online about yourself? I've created this persona for this blog "Average Guy X". If you search hard enough, you can probably find out my real name, but how does all the stuff I do online affect my value at work or even my prospects for furthering my career?
Have you ever been around the office water cooler having a conversation with some co-worker that you've known for some time and then he/she tells a story of something they did over the weekend and you say to yourself "Wow. That was a little too much TMI and now I can't really have the same relationship with them anymore!"? Most of the time, it's harmless information about religion or politics that you find out, but sometimes there can be lifestyle, work habits, personal opinions, or even the occasional revelation about how they make money with some "scheme" that really make you see this person in a different light. I'm wondering how much of this social networking can contribute to that.
Stay tuned.
1 comment:
I understand where you're coming from! I have been researching social media and how your online presence can affect things in the real world; it's an interesting thing to study. The most common thing I hear from the experts is the need for honesty and transparency, so that's been my motto!
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