I’m often told that people like my feed.
I always blush, hem and haw.
It’s ironic.
I study the implications of posting on social media for careers.
Yet.
I delude myself into thinking no one pays attention to my feed.
The reality is we should all be aware that what we post has offline implications.
I think this is true of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, podcasts, pick your medium.
What implications should you be aware of?
First, while you choose what to disclose, others choose how they interpret it.
I quickly learned to rarely post about hanging a beer, bc people inferred a single beer post translates into a twelve pack.
People will spin it for good or bad - it’s up to them.
Second, while you can’t control what people think, you can craft the voice and personae that you choose to project.
That doesn’t mean be dishonest.
It does mean manage your words.
Third, be aware that an active social media presence comes at a price.
People will act on their negative impressions of you.
Since first becoming a content creator, I have been told
(1) I will never find a new job.
(2) I am high on drama
(3) I am an academic lightweight
(4) I will never edit a journal
(5) I can kiss dreams of being a Dean good bye.
Other than point 4, I’m ok with the comments.
Unfortunately, point 4 appears prescient - but more on that another time - the sting of rejection is still true.
There have been other threats or comments - some against me and some against my students - but disclosing them would mean picking a fight - I’m of the opinion most fights aren’t with picking.
Fourth, be aware that a well-crafted posts can do a lot of good.
If you set aside the personal price, and provide an authentic account or observations on professional issues, you can help a lot of people.
Despite the threats in point 3, on balance, I receive a lot of positive feedback on posts.
Before I shuttered my FB feed, I provided an illustration of work life balance.
It helped a lot of young scholars.
My teen grew up and is reluctant to be part of this feed.
So I focus more on professional issues on LinkedIn.
Finally, be aware that a good feed will garner more attention than a good paper.
The last five or more talks have been requests to talk about (a) navigating academic life, (b) work-life balance, or (c) to recap a set of posts on a specific topic.
At first, my feelings were hurt - I am proud of my work.
Now, I recognize this is just a different form of impact.
So … takeaways?
Social media is a mixed bag.
The peril is not everyone will like what you say and some doors will close.
The perk is that you feel heard and some will want to extend the conversation.
A lot of those conversations are magical!
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