Personal and Professional Lies....

Okay stop me if you've heard this one before...

A young, urban, wannabe professional is fresh out of school and ready to take on the working world. He applies everywhere: government, corporate, not-for-profit, even retail (because lord knows a good discount at the right store is worth more than any dental plan).

The problem is, our young dreamer only wears his nice clothes and perfectly polished shoes during the day. Come nightfall this guy loves his beers, bongs and future baby mammas. And what's more, his friends love photographing it.

So what's the point? Well it turns out that our favourite party boy is posting these photos of his bong hits, his beer binges, and his booty calls all over Facebook.

Almost like a scrapbook of smut and debauchery. Which, let's be honest, we all have a version of.

And his potential employers are keeping an eye on all of it. Thus, this young hopeful has yet to recieve any job offers and is left to join the ranks of his peers that refuse to accept the fact that social media sites such as Facebook are just as telling to future employers as your resume is.

Luckily, some people are catching on. I have a friend (well he's not so much a friend as he is a mortal enemy that I wish nothing but calamity and crabs upon) who has his own method of dealing with this situation. He created an annagram with the letters of his actual name and made up a new name which is what he lists on Facebook. That way, when employers give his goods a Google, nothing comes up. Despite the fact that I despise him, I have to say, he's quite clever. Of course, what's even more clever is just increasing the privacy settings on your page-- but to each his own.

You probably have some people in your life that have done the same thing, or something similar. And the prevalance of this kind of situation has lead to many heated debates. Do employers have the right to judge employees on behaviour performed outside of work? Should you be trusted to work in an organization if you spend your personal time doing inappropriate things (i.e. drug use, public nudity)? I think it's a very layered issue and I wouldn't say either side is right or wrong because, honestly, they both have valid points.

Luckily, my post has nothing to do with this debate. Taking a side in this case would be like deciding which is worse, the new 90210 or the new Melrose Place: they're both flawed and will only hurt those involved.

Instead what I've decided to do is share with you what I find most interesting about this whole mess, and bare with me, it's kind of deep.

A couple of years ago I read a fantastic book by Hal Niedzviecki called, Hello I'm Special. Without going into too much detail (click on the link if you're into that) the book basically argues that society has entered an era of story telling where everyone and their coked out sugar daddy has a grand story to tell. Hence the rise in blogging (I never said I wasn't special) and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. We all have this urge to share with anyone that will listen what we're doing, who we're dating (or hating, which is always better), and how amazing we all are.

In theory, I don't really think it's a bad thing. It's pretty cool that someone can be so happy with who they are as an individual that they'd want to share it with the world. However, somewhere along the line (and with the power of photoshop and creative lying) we lost our way. Now, I look at friends' Facebook pages or blogs and I say more often than not-- you're not like that. Actually, what I really say is, "Girl please, we both know you do not look like that."

See instead of using these forums to express themselves, it seems people prefer to express who they want to be, or if they're really delusional, who they think they are.

And now, with employers crusing the pages looking for the right candidate for the job, the problem is growing even larger still. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for using these sites for professional gain, that's obviously a huge advantage. But you can be professional without being phony. Even the stuffiest of professionals let loose once in a while, or tell a dirty joke and it's okay. It's who you are. Don't post your Sears glamour shot photo wearing your Sunday best as your profile picture, don't only write notes discussing our robust healthcare system in comparison to other countries, and if one of you're friends writes on your wall saying "Waddup hoe bag?" don't delete it. It's who you are!!

I might have gone off an a tangent.

The point is this, Facebook and sites like it, are now a form of documentation. Employers look through it, your family looks through it, and believe me, your worst enemies look through it. Don't post anything you'll regret, but at the same time, don't lose yourself (cue Eminem) trying to present a false image of yourself that you want the world to embrace.

You're enough. Just the way you are.

*HUGS*