How Not to Get a Job Via Twitter
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One of the main benefits of social media--quickly distributed pervasiveness--could also hurt you and your online reputation, and maybe cost you a job. One innocent "tweet" intended to tell your friends that you received a job offer could also make you look completely foolish. Take a look at what "theconnor" posted on Twitter yesterday: Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work. D'oh! This kind of honesty might have made sense if your settings were private and you were telling a close-knit, trusted group of followers only. But "theconnor's" settings were not set that way and someone who happens to be a Cisco channel partner advocate did not appreciate the level of honesty. Here's how Tim Levad responded to "theconnor's" tweet: timmylevad: @theconnor Who is the hiring manager. I'm sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the web. 1 day ago from TweetDeck · Reply · View Tweet Ouch. "theconnor," who has since made private settings (with an ironic image that appears to have something stuffed in its mouth), is being wryly referred to as "cisco fatty" now. Not only has this response garnered a whole lot of attention from members of Twitter who are ridiculing the heck out of this person, it's also spawned a Website ciscofatty.com. That site appears to have identified the individual who is "theconnor" via Google cache, but the only link that worked for me was the image (that shows this person to be female). Since I can't verify the things on ciscofatty.com (how about some contact info, you quick-witted viral traffic gamer), I'm not going to delve much deeper into this person's identity, I wanted to simply highlight the lesson to be learned. Be very careful what you say and what company names you use. While it's also not clear if the person did or did not, in fact, get the job at Cisco, it's a strong cautionary tale about using social media poorly. We all have opinions, but they can have serious negative effects. It's way too easy to be callous, dismissive and sarcastic with tweets and status updates on Facebook or elsewhere. The lines between work and play are becoming much more transparent with these technologies, and the use of them at work and for work--for self-promotion, professional networking and for showing your active participation in the latest technologies--can be a marvelous, efficient tool. Does careless commentary necessarily lead to risky behavior at work? Some might interpret it that way. The larger question for human resources and hiring managers at Cisco -- or any company -- is to know how much weight to put on an individual tweet or update that was not intended to be seen. One the one hand, people are moody, the economy is bad and the person may have just been publicly battling themselves over whether a job was really right for them. I imagine a lot of people in this economy are taking jobs less than ideal, especially ones that pay well. We all have had butterflies about taking a job once an offer is on the table, and the fear of hating a job is always there when it's brand-spanking new. On the other hand, no one will be surprised if the job offer is rescinded and Cisco goes looking for a more responsible individual. I know too many people that have "replied to all" in an e-mail and made themselves look very foolish, but usually that means you get a talking to from HR and management (but if it's bad enough, you could always be fired). Problem here is that "theconnor" doesn't actually have the job yet. Better to avoid this kind of thing altogether. Edit yourself, keep company names out of your posts and remember that people you don't want to be watching are watching. Another recent example of this came from a careless comment from a PR representative from Ketchum in New York City who had FedEx as a client. Evidently, in January this gentleman known as Mr. Andrews disrespected the city of Memphis over Twitter the morning he was to do a presentation at FedEx on digital media, and got an earful from a FedEx employee. Here's the offending tweet:
Read the response by an angered employee here. Beyond being embarrassing, one can imagine Ketchum having additional stress and strain on the relationship with FedEx, and in that world, this person could have lost their job very easily. |
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Comments (16)
I've been on the market since January, with over 10 years experience. If this hott shot candidate isn't interested, I'll take it! Got a family to feed and house... San Jose isn't *that* far. I used to drive from SF to Cupertino when I worked at Apple some years ago. Now I see what people mean about saying this is the entitlement generation.
Posted by Ron dotCom | March 20, 2009 7:39 PM
too bad @theconnor didn't pay more attention in biology class, particularly to the part about how "Darwinian selection" works....
Posted by Mike | March 24, 2009 1:02 PM
This is exactly why I have not taken to using Twitter. Even the FaceBook 'wall' is too public for more than the occasional milquetoast post.
Who here want's to post something to twitter some nice spring afternoon about what an awesome home run their favorite players just smashed over the right field wall, only to have their boss twitter back that the boss thought the employee was supposed to be on-site at a customer account?
Not that I would do the ball game thing, but even legitimate business posts might be picked up by competitors.
No thanks.
Posted by WhyWillItBe | March 24, 2009 2:08 PM
Damn people are, well they are aren't they. Given the quick wit you have Don, I have to share this post Problem with Social Media Too Many People
The summary version, you know you'd better watch what you say when your In-laws are following you on Twitter, Facebook et.al
All the best,
Posted by Albert Maruggi | March 24, 2009 2:22 PM
I have always felt that there is just too much information being shared publicly. If theconnor does not get the job all the better maybe it will make that person think twice about "sharing" every thought with EVERYONE.
Posted by travler4 | March 24, 2009 2:23 PM
Bummer dood!
Posted by Buck Mojo | March 24, 2009 2:56 PM
Cisco should just shrug off such a tweet. Do they expect people work for them for love of the job? If so why do they need to pay "fatty" salaries?
Perhaps they just prefer to hire good liars.
Posted by Jonathan Briggs | March 24, 2009 3:19 PM
Wow,
How about people just own up to their words instead of allowing themselves to be browbeaten into a hole from where they "must" apologize to rejoin civil society.
theconner did not really want to work at Cisco and was expressing that. Perhaps Cisco should think about how their company is perceived instead of getting all indignant.
Live in fear with your every word sanitized or grow up and deal with it.
Posted by dan | March 24, 2009 6:09 PM
DOH! Stupid Twitter...
Posted by Debunk | March 24, 2009 7:54 PM
People always blow off steam in twitter or other social networking sites just like in person. usually these are forgiven or ignored. If the complaining is habitual, then we need to look for the cause of the complaint whether it's the person or the company but we HAVE to look for the truth in the matter.
If there are 150 comments about hating to work at widgets, inc., the companies should take a clue and change their ways internally or externally. The point is the same for any other organization. Twitter is pretty good for taking the temperature or pulse of an organization.
Twitter reminds the of the Rollercoaster Tycoon game where you can 'read the thoughts' of the patrons in the game. If most of them hated my rides, I changed the ride because I couldn't kick the customers out. I loved that game.
Posted by BingoBango | March 25, 2009 1:39 AM
BingoBango: I love the metaphor of Twitter to 'Rollercoaster Tycoon' -- brilliant. "Reading the thoughts" of customers, employees, etc. that's where this technology shines; this is how it should be embraced.
At the same time, I completely agree with 'WhyWillItBe': People need to consider where this information lives, and who may see it. If you can remain anonymous (which is tricky at best), then who cares. Else, know the consequences of online life, even as trivial as it may seem. One man's trivial post is another man's deliberate contempt.
Brings me to an experience in high school.. I posted a bogus "Bowling for cheeseburgers" message on the school's BBS (yes, BBS'es still existed in the 90's). As result, the school district's IT gestapo reported this, and I was reprimanded with detention. Was I attempting to cause harm? Based on this, did defame the school in any matter? You can decide. Later, I ended up becoming the sysop when this good-intention IT god was forced out over illegally reselling use of the school's data line.
My rule of thumb, unfortunately, is this: Don't assume your reader will interpret your 'thoughts' (as innocent as they may be) without malice.
Posted by Ron dotCom | March 25, 2009 5:56 PM
Interesting post.
Only post something on the net you have no problem with the entire world reading. Do not post anything private you would have a problem with the entire world reading.
Only send out e-mails you would have no problem with the entire world reading.
The net has a long memory. Never forget this.
What you write today might harm you 10 years from now.
Posted by Ken Stremsky | March 26, 2009 12:21 PM
Is it possible to frame somebody online?
What if a colleague wants to ruin your career? Can they make you look bad online to future employers by misusing your name?
Posted by Robin | March 29, 2009 4:00 PM
There is a deeper issue with the comments of both the new employee at Cisco and with the speaker at FedEx: it is that snide, underhanded, and egocentric attitudes are self-defeating.
For those who cannot condescend to seeing the bright side, these negative attitudes eventually emerge regardless of the communication mechanism.
Posted by Amy Chesbro | March 30, 2009 11:53 AM
Twitter is pretty good for taking the temperature or pulse of an organization
Posted by Business Folders | April 9, 2009 4:45 AM
There is an old rule that is even wiser today: Don't write down anything if you cannot bear the consequences were it printed on a newspaper front page with your name under it.
Posted by Don Beeth | April 19, 2009 4:06 PM