Personal vs. Professional

As an employee in the marketing field I always question this line, should I have separate facebook accounts, twitter accounts and possibly make my blog private? As an employee I don’t feel that I speak for the groups that I work for, unless representing myself in that capacity, so how to divide my personal life from my professional, or do I even need to?

Fortunately I like to think that nothing too questionable is on my facebook, so with a limited profile I stop most of the damage that could be done to my good name. By limiting my profile I have only really blocked tagged pictures (the most dangerous of all pictures). Not all friends respect that some events don’t need to make it to public view. Now that I think of it, maybe no one needs to see my tagged pictures, not even me. Hypothetically employers are starting to consider the social media available about you to reflect who you are and if you are employable by any given organization. Well, what is appropriate? Can I hold a glass of wine? What about my dance moves, that may be mistaken for drunkenness , I assure you they are purely my lack of dance skills. What about the people I associate with or my political views?

Personally I feel it may all come down to what field you work in, what you are comfortable with the world knowing and what you would be okay with your mother reading. Hi mom. These are the ways that I base most decisions of what I post, what I allow others to see and when I call a friend on questionable facebook/blog/twitter posts. Some things should be kept to in person or email. But more frequently than not, maybe they just don’t need to be said. However, were would the entertainment be in that... Regardless, if you were to have a conversation with me, you would probably hear many of the things I would post in a blog… just cuts out the other person. Maybe social media is just a way to talk to yourself and convince yourself that someone might pay attention.

Really, I don’t think I answered any of the big questions, but I will continue to question my status until one day, maybe if I have children, I will try to wipe out my thoroughly entertaining and not so perfect (but not too dodgy) past.