Would Grandma Approve?

No pressure.

While I love to write and therefore the idea of a 'blog appeals to me, the career counsellor in me is shouting, "Warning, warning!" and trying to flag me down with a big, scary, neon dose of do-you-really-think-this-is-a-good-idea?

In addition to reading an article in Job Postings magazine the other day titled, "Facebook - Is it hurting your job hunt?", I also recently attended a session about web tools. It was filled with many career educator types who were partly enthusiastic and partly panicked about the prospects of using social networking sites, blogs and web tools "like the young folks do".

Being somewhat of a tech lover myself, I tend to rush headlong into these sort of cool new toys with the kind of abandon I normally reserve for Triple Fudge Brownie Overload ice cream. So although I'd heard the warnings and concerns of my colleagues, I was too busy playing in the proverbial ice cream bowl of technology to take time to reflect much on the implications of my actions. When faced with a room filled with many people who were like the Darth Vader voice of doom on the subject of "new" technology, I was initially dismayed to hear negative words like "invasive", "voyeuristic", and "unprofessional" about my beloved creative technology.

So here's the deal. Just like ice cream (forgive me, one of my worst character flaws is that I will beat a metaphor to death), technology can be sweet and lots of fun to indulge in, but it should also be embraced with some sensibility. I don't think that avoiding it is the way to go, but neither should we be unaware of the public persona we may be creating online. Employers, colleagues and business prospects, not to mention grandmothers, have easy ways of finding out about your activities and escapades.

My advice? Think: Would Grandma approve? Keep tabs on your online alter-ego (the one you create AND the ones created without your knowledge) by doing regular searches of your name. Take time to learn about the privacy settings on social networking sites (and know that the rules are frequently changing) and be aware that not everyone will appreciate you sharing EVERYTHING that goes on in your life.

Finally, when something is written down (even in what appears to be a secure, anything goes environment), treat the window of critism of your thoughts, ideas, spelling, grammar, and martini-soaked photographs as if it is wide open. It likely is.

No pressure.