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Social Networking and Your Job: Lessons from the "Cisco Fatty"
Tania Khadder, HRGuru
March 24, 2009
The internet is buzzing with tales of the latest web 2.0 casualty –the Cisco Fatty. The man who managed to jeopardize a new, high paying job, in 140 characters or less.
After receiving an offer from communications giant Cisco Systems, the jobseeker Twittered about it, telling his followers that although he had been offered a “fatty” paycheck, he wasn’t sure he would be able to endure the commute and “hating the work”.
Within hours, a page was created in honor of the Cisco Fatty’s blunder
Soon thereafter, Cisco’s Tim Levad saw the tweet, and responded: “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.”
We don’t know yet how this story ends. We do, however, know that there is a big lesson to be learned here. The same lesson we can take from other, similarly excruciating stories of social networking, and its assault on professionalism.
We all know that these days, the line between work and play is increasingly blurred. And social networking sites are no longer just for extroverted teenagers or tech-savvy college students. Your mom is on Facebook. So, more likely than not, so is your boss. And you can’t exactly ignore his friend request. What you can do is avoid embarrassment, and possible joblessness, by being smart about your online activity.
Nothing is really private
Keep in mind that anything you say online could potentially be seen by your employer. Even if they aren’t a friend or follower, and even if your account is set to private. You never know which one of your contacts is friends with your boss, knows his wife or goes to school with his children. It’s called the Web for a reason. Virtual connections are vast, and they aren’t always transparent. If you wouldn’t want your employer to see it, keep it offline. It’s good practice to just assume that once you’ve put it online, it’s public.
PetcuLuiza
20 days ago
70 comments
I personally love the good old fix phone and had written letters. They are more private. And you can still share ideas but at least these ideas will not be known by the whole world. Unless you suffer from grandeur and want to be know by everybody. Which I think is a modern disease which needs a rapid cure.
hakano
5 months ago
4 comments
Very Good advice.
We have to be mindful of what we say on the web and how we say them.
LiChing
7 months ago
112 comments
The main concern is security breach on all online, web based sites. Who is to stop someone from stealing your ID and password, and impersonating you on these sites. It could even be a family member,a younger sibling, thinking they shall have "fun", not knowing the consequence. That said, am sure there are those who still do not understand that by being on these sites, they are being "seen" by the web world, and that includes current and potential employers. Use with caution, and common sense.
kacharles
7 months ago
20 comments
Great advice.. seriously.
lorichro
7 months ago
232 comments
Very Good advice!
Account Removed
7 months ago
A very interesting article!
sgrowbillions
7 months ago
412 comments
Interesting article.
Adwant
7 months ago
19386 comments
good article...