Social Media: 5 Things You Didn't Know Your Employer Could See

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With the Internet and social media, things are starting to change. Today, employers can see a lot more than you want them to. Some of what employers can see depends on your privacy settings, but other things can easily be inferred. Do you know what your boss can see on your social media profiles?

Religious and Political Views

Image via Flickr by pbyrne

Unless you specifically tell your settings to only allow friends to see your religious and political views, potential employers can see this information. There is controversy around this, due to the legal ramifications it can cause for businesses. If someone is turned down for a job after Facebook is consulted, it could be argued that religious or political views were used as a discriminating factor.

What Groups You are In

Take a look at the groups you are a part of in your social media pages. Your employer may not appreciate if you are a part of a group called "I hate my job… screw this place!" Whether you are looking for a new job or trying to keep the one you currently have, make sure you are only in workplace-friendly groups if you are concerned about your employer checking on your social media profiles.

Who Your Friends Are

Image via Flickr by dan taylor

Are you friends with someone with a 'reputation'? Whether they are famous or simply are known for something they have done, someone with a well-known name on your friends list may not be a big deal to you, but it may be to an employer. If so, keep in mind that the boss can pull up this information. They can see who your friends are, and that can be good or bad for you. This doesn't mean you have to change your friends, just be aware of any potential problems that may arise.

Pictures You Post Publicly

Most people forget to make their pictures or albums private. Because of this, most images online are available for anyone to see. This includes social media accounts. When you post pictures of doing dangerous or illegal things, drinking and partying, or any other pictures you simply wouldn't want your boss to see, remember that they can see these pictures unless you specifically set them up to be private.

Are You a Family Person?

Image via Flickr by kippster

Look at your profile picture. This is public to everyone, no matter how private the rest of your profile is. If you have a picture of your kids, an employer is going to know that you have a family. If you have been working for the company for ten years, they probably know this. However, if you are job hunting, potential employers may not. And realistically, you may not want them to. Consider your profile picture, and make sure it is something you are comfortable with employers seeing and making judgments about.

Make sure that your online presence is what you want it to be. With Reputation.com YouTube videos, you can understand the steps you can take to clean up your profile and show the world what you want them to see.