What Not to Post About Yourself on Social Media

What have you seen nannies and au pairs post on social media that would turn off a potential employer?

Yesterday we discussed what you should never post on the Internet about the children you care for at your nanny or au pair job. Today we list information you should never post on social media about yourself.

With the presidential election only a few weeks away what shocks me most is when I see nannies that are unemployed posting radical images and comments about politics. Even if a potential employer will be voting for the same presidential candidate as you, when the google your name they should only find positive comments and professional images of you as a caregiver. Parents don't want to see that a potential caregiver of their children spends their time sharing hateful images or comments about politics, or any topic, when they google your name.

You also want employers see appropriate photos of you online. I recommend not posting suggestive photos of yourself on the Internet. Photos of with friends and family are fine to post on Facebook and Twitter, but I don't think posting images of partying creates a positive image of anyone to any future employer.

Of course, there are safety issues regarding identity theft and not giving clues to potential burglars to rob your home to avoid online as well.

Here is my list of what not to post on social media that I’ve seen in articles by others over the past few years:

• Don’t post issues you have with your job or complaints about your boss
• Don’t post seductive photos or images of partying which may turn off potential employers
• Don’t post extreme views on race, religion, or politics
• Don’t link personal sites to professional business sites like LinkedIn
• Don't post your street address as it is an invitation to burglars
• Don’t post answers that are used as security questions or passwords online or for your bank, utilities, or other personal accounts such as: your place of birth, your mother's maiden name, the name of your first pet, what street you grew up on, and so on
• Don’t post financial information such as how much money you make
• Don’t post when you are leaving on a vacation
• Don’t post your daily schedule because burglars have been known to use these little hints to their advantage
• Don’t post any information about court dates or if you are being sued as that can be used against you in court or in legal issues

What did we forget? What have you seen nannies and au pairs post on social media that would turn off a potential employer?