As a military veteran and member of the U.S. Military, you may use social media to talk to your family and friends. It’s nice to stay in touch, but there are some things you need to be careful of. One day, you will transition from a military service member to a civilian job or career and what you post on social media matters. Here are some of the dangers of the online media and reasons to be careful what you post online.
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Wait… Are You Saying There’s No Such Thing as Online Privacy?
Anything you put on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media site isn’t private. You are not protected and all of this online information is made available for the public. Screenshots can be taken of what you post, even if you didn’t want someone other than family to see it. Then, that screenshot can easily be shared with others without you even knowing it.
Content Lasts for a Long Time. Really a Long Time!
While Snapchat tries to make it so things go away, they can be screenshot, which means all social media content can stay around for a very long time. Even your old high school posts are still out there.
Posts are Easily Searchable By Anyone With a Keyboard!
Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook have all made it very easy to search for different types of posts. This makes it easy for people to find what you’ve said and shared.
Employers will Look Online And Know Who You Really Are!
It’s pretty clear that many employers now look at Facebook and other social media sties before hiring. They use it as a way to vet the possible hires and you could end up losing an opportunity due to something you posted.
Hiring Managers and Recruiters Vet You Online… and You May Never Know It!
Social media and other online information is used by hiring managers and recruiters to vet possible job applicants. It’s part of your reputation and it’s not taken lightly by those looking to hire.
Sorry, You can’t Control the Reach
Your friends have friends and they have friend and so on. If you share something you only want a few people to see, it could be seen by hundreds or even thousands without you even knowing it had that kind of reach.
The online world is dangerous and you must be careful what you share. As a military veteran wanting a job or a service member, your reputation today and in the future depends on it.