Mediaboss Marketing

Were weighing the pros and cons to having two separate social media accounts.

This article originally appeared on The Life Currency.

RELATED: This May Be Why Social Media Is So Addictive

Social media is a powerful tool that connects people every day. While there are 3.17 billion users on social media, many millennials use their accounts to post their personal life, connect with friends/family and for professional reasons. Recruiters are starting to look at prospective employees social media accounts before deciding if one should be hired. According to smarp, 41% of recruiters are not happy with candidates social media, while 59% are happy. Does this mean that one should have separate social media pages?

Lets look at some of the pros and cons of keeping the two separate. Here are some suggestions to have a great balance between your personal and professional presence on social media. TLC explains why you shouldnt put more work on yourself to manage two social media profiles.

RELATED: Subscribe to ourdaily newsletterfor the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news.

CONTROLLING YOUR PRIVACY

Pro:

RELATED: The Surprising Connection Between Social Media And Loneliness

Many people like social media just to interact with their loved ones and friends. You can post many pictures about your personal life and can truly be yourself. Many of us like to express ourselves and thoughts on social media. If you have a separate personal social media account, then you wont be held accountable for what you say.

Con:

Social media isnt always private and anyone is bound to come across a picture or tweet. If you want to have two social media profiles so you can post about private party sessions with your friends, social media may not be the best place for that. Remember that pictures get shared and you cannot control who may end up seeing pictures you wanted to keep private for friends and family. There are privacy settings on every social media site you can edit, but its best to avoid posting pictures you wouldnt want a recruiter to see just in case it gets into the wrong hands.

BEING YOURSELF

Pro:

If you have a separate social media profile, you wont be held accountable for what you say and you can be yourself. When you are using your business social media account, you can post statuses that are geared toward the industry you are in.

Con:

When you have two separate accounts, you have to do more work by managing the accounts and people dont get a chance to see who you really are. According to CAA executive Caroline Garcia, recruiters want to know you for you. They want to know if you will fit in with the company culture and team members. Authenticity is what people respect.

THINGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING

If a recruiter doesnt agree with your social media, then the company may not be a culture fit for you. We arent talking about a recruiter not agreeing with a picture of you wasted at a party on the floor. That is not good for your brand. We are talking about political tweets, what you stand for and who you are. If youre passionate about protesting and justice and a recruiter doesnt agree with your opinions, then the company culture is probably not the best for you. Who wants to work at a place where they cant be who they really are?

REMEMBER THAT THE INTERNET NEVER FORGETS

Whatever you decide to do, remember the Internet never forgets and it is hard to delete information. You should always be mindful of what you post. Many people lose jobs over social media. When you say yes to a company, you are representing yourself and the companys brand.

Khadejah is a part of the TLC College Ambassador Program and a recent graduate of North Carolina A&T University.

Read more from the original source:
Should You Have Separate Social Media Accounts For Your Personal And Professional Life? - Essence.com