A couple weeks ago while working in Italy, I heard a fascinating presentation regarding security, privacy and the risks therein for social networking in the workplace.
Darryl Woo, one of the partners at Fenwick & West LLP, (based in the Silicon Valley) gave a compelling overview regarding the current push-pull in many companies re: how Facebook, blogs, tweets, etc. can be viewed VERY differently by employees and employers.
That debate’s been happening for a while; no news there. And yet, the “horror stories of folks who tweet before they think” keep on a’comin. Darryl cited this exchange occurring several months ago.
The employee tweeted:
“Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”
(Okay, folks, we already know the outcome here…Cisco picked right up on that).
Cisco sent one back, reading “Who is the hiring manager(?) I’m sure they (sic) would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the web.”
You can’t help but chuckle…and wonder WHO that now-never-to-be-employed-by-Cisco person thought he/she was talking to. It gives us pause to remember that when we’re on the web, we’re not talking “in a bubble.” We’re potentially talking to the whole world.
In the marketing and PR world, we always tell our clients never to lose sight of their audience or stakeholders. Perhaps it’s time some of us take that advice ourselves?
Food for thought….(and by the way, coincidentally, Twitter, Facebook and Cisco are all Fenwick & West clients!)
Here’s an ABC News story from earlier this year detailing the Cisco job hunter and some helpful advice on mistakes to avoid for job seekers on Twitter.
