Last week something interesting happened that triggered my reflection on how our online activity can impact our employment.

An employee of a prominent financial institution was involved in a minor car accident with a person that was driving my vehicle in Uganda. The employee was at fault and committed to covering the repair costs. He left his National ID and phone contacts as proof of his commitment to pay. When the repair work commenced, he was contacted to clear the bills. He turned around, refused to pay up and subsequently switched off his phone. I was out of the country at the time the incident happened. The mechanic contacted me and shared with me the details of the accident event, pictures of the cars involved, their license plates, the phone contacts and the copy of the National ID of the employee.

Tracing you from your online activity is easier than you think, especially if you have been very active online.

Tapping into the tools we use to do background checks as recruiters, I ran an online search of the employee on social media by names. His names appeared on both LinkedIn and Facebook. Here is what I found out:

• The employee had an online presence on Facebook and LinkedIn
• He had photographs of himself, his car and details of his workplace
• He identified with a financial institution that he worked with in Uganda

It was actually very easy to trace him even though his phone was switched off. I reached out to a colleague in the financial institution and asked them to reach out to his manager. In under 30 minutes, he had been contacted through means other than what he had provided as his phone contacts.

How to be mindful of your online activity

There are a few things you can do to be mindful of your online activity

1. Update Your Privacy Settings: Adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can view and update your profile. This will help you separate your personal from professional life and help you minimize unwanted attention.
2. Maintain an Image of Professionalism: As long as you work for anyone and you cannot resist keeping an online presence, work towards maintaining a professional online image irrespective of the online platform or social media you use. Unless it is your job or you are into activism, avoid offensive or controversial posts, avoid sharing a lot of your personal information, and use proper grammar and language.
3. Moderate the Content that you Post: Before you post anything online, think twice! It does not matter whether it is related to your work, employer or otherwise. Again, unless your job requires it or you are into activism, you are safe avoiding venting your frustrations or making negative comments online. You do not know who is watching, or how it will impact your reputation as well as your job.
4. Increase your Networking: Channel your energy into using social media platforms to network with other professionals in your field. This can help you stay up to date on industry news and trends and even open up new career opportunities.
5. Mind Your Online Security: Always remember that you should use secure passwords and avoid sharing sensitive information online. Work with your Information Technology team to learn the basics of online security, phishing scams and other online threats that could compromise your personal or professional data.

Do not expose yourself to unnecessary risks owing to your online behavior irrespective of whether you are employed or not. Be mindful of your online activity and take the necessary precautions to protect your personal, professional reputation and job prospects.