Why you should make your Facebook profile employer friendly

Lately, I've been reading alot of articles posted by job recruiters, HR managers, and bloggers about social media and the hiring procedure. It is known that employers most employers check out our social media profiles prior to us even being called for an interview. As much as we would like to think that our Facebook and Twitter accounts are for the sole enjoyment of our friends and associates, the reality is that social media is becoming an integral part of who we are and what we represent all wrapped up in 140 characters.

What steps have you taken, out side of account privacy, have you taken to position your social media identity for future employers and customers? Do you think it's important? Do you think what you represent on social media is an important factor in you being hired by a company?

Definitely check out this infographic from Mashable.com to change your mind if you think it's not important.

SOA Subject of interest: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

"We push boys towards success more than we do girls."

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, talks about why there are less women at the top than men.





The best quote from this video is "No one gets to the corner office by sitting on the side of the table." When you think outside of the realm of the video, it's a true statement to life.

When you want something, sitting and waiting for it will not bring it to you. And when you want something being fearful of it will not make it manifest. So raise your hand, and keep it raised until you are acknowledged.

The Unemployed [but Empowered] Entrepreneur

Should you friend or follow you co-workers?

We enjoy their company at work because they make the day go by faster. They are there for us when we need to borrow office supplies or a shoulder, but should we take our professional relationships outside of the office and into the social media realm? In this day and age when twitter, facebook, and other social media are a staple in our everyday and professional lives, the question of "should you friend or follow your co-workers and bosses?" is bound to come up. I myself have been asking this question. I'm very close to my manager at work and the company has a great familial atmosphere. With all that, I still don't want the line between my professional self and my regular self (via the net) to get crossed.

Think about it. How serious would you take your supervisor if you saw a picture of them chugging at last year's Christmas party? Or how serious would they take you as you live-tweet The Real Housewives of Atlanta?


Yes social media is there for us to connect to each other, but you have to choose how and where you want to connect with people. Especially people you work with. Below are some tips on following your comrades at work.

Tip #1: If you are going to send a friend request to a co-worker, create a profile for them and set your settings accordingly. The best thing about Facebook is you can create limited profile settings and groups. I have one for family and co-workers. Sometimes I just don't want them to see some of the things I post or have access to what others write on my wall. And thus, I act accordingly.

Tip #2: Be aware of who follows you on Twitter. If you are smart, you have set up your Twitter account to alert you when someone follows you. If you are even smarter, you have created a profile for business and another for everything else a la "You VS You the Brand on Twitter." The moment you find out that someone from your job is following you, that is the day you should decide whether or not to censor your tweets.

Tip #3: Want to connect with your co-workers without messing with the integrity of your "hilarious" late night tweets? Linked-In and other professional social media sites were created for exactly that purpose. You'll still be able to see what they are up to and send them messages, but it is through a platform built specifically for professionals.

Tip #4: You've connected with your work family. You've created your separate settings for them. Now what? KISS. Keep it Short and Simple. You don't want to be that overbearing Twitter follower or obnoxious Facebook friend. Maintain the professionalism, even from the comfort of your own computer.

Social media is a fun tool to connect and communicate with people, but when what you're communicating on the internet takes a shot at what you want to communicate in your career, you have to really decide if it's best to communicate and connect with those from your job. If you're going to do it, you should at least know how to do it in the most professional way possible. With privacy settings on Facebook, professional sites like Linked-In and applying simple rules when you connect, you can set the tone of professionalism online.

The Unemployed [but Empowered] Entrepreneur

Self-Employed Entrepreneurs in the News: Mark Zuckerberg

I'm sure most of us who are business owners dream of the day when our hardwork and sleepless nights payoff and we are finally able to not only reap the spoils but also give some of it away.

I'm a firm believer in giving back to the community in anyway I can, whether it's through community service or charity planning, I try my best to make my community a better one. That is why today is dedicated to a young self-employed entrepreneur who is doing just that, making his community better.


Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the power social site Facebook.

The following excerpt is from CNN.com:

"Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive of social-networking powerhouse Facebook, is planning on donating $100 million toward improving public schools in the troubled district of Newark, New Jersey. The gift would be the largest known charitable donation by Zuckerberg, who Forbes magazine says is the 35th richest person in the United States with an estimated net worth of nearly $7 billion."

      Get the full story here on CNN.com

I admire this young man, not just as a young entrepreneur myself, but the fact that he's well grounded enough to give back in a way that is so powerful. Education is absolutely the foundation on which creativity and innovation lies. College may not be for everyone at the end of the day, but primary and secondary education gives all kids the tools they need to be successful adults later in life.Whether they want to be an astronaut, business person, or teacher, it all begins with getting a good education growing up.

Sadly, in America our educational system is horribly broken and it's come time for us (the community, the people, the entrepreneurs) to do what we can to fix it.

Although he is giving back to schools in New Jersey and I live in Georgia, I would still like to send my appreciation to what he is doing and hope that his actions have an effect on other very successful entrepreneurs in this nation.

The Unemployed [but Empowered and Hardworking] Entrepreneur