Be a positive force in your speech and social media

I am weary. When I first started with social media, it was fun. I met people, it was a positive force. I didn’t hear people yelling at each other. I didn’t feel the hate. Of course, most of us didn’t know what we were doing.

Be a positive force by building relationships

I found it amazing that I could build relationships with people all across the nation and globally. I looked for ways I could help others. I remember sharing messages on Twitter to help people find resources. I remember during a Tsunami, a woman was so worried about her daughter. I shared her message with everyone I could think of who could help. Sent her resources. She found her daughter.

There was at least one instance when someone sounded like they were thinking about suicide. I talked with them and tried to connect them with resources and others did too. The person decided life was worth living.

Be a positive force to help people find jobs

When Ed Han (then branded as a wordsmith but in 2020, a recruiter, social media leader, and requested speaker) was active on Twitter, I learned about #hirefriday. I spent time promoting job seekers. From my article in July of 2010:

For those of you who have never heard of #HireFriday, it is the brainchild of Margo Rose aka @HRMargo on Twitter to help job seekers have a day that everyone focuses on the job seeker to help them find a new position.

The sole purpose of #HireFriday is to feature job seekers, give them visibility, and connect them with our contact networks.

Positive Force is missing

But since those wonderful early days when I discovered amazing career and marketing content and build friendships worldwide, the social media space has gotten messy and I don’t want to be there. The amazing content is still there but it is buried under so much hate.

This article has been in my head for so long. I just hurt when I see people all over the world hating each other.

It used to be that unless you talked to your neighbor over the fence, you didn’t really know anyone’s politics or even much about their lives. Now in seconds, you can blast your opinion around the world.

Here’s the thing. You don’t know who you are hurting. When you speak out about how the other side is this or that, you may be hurting the silent observer.

The silent observer doesn’t comment but it bothers them nonetheless.

The psychological harm we are causing with critical and negative speak far outweighs any opinion changing that you think your comments might do.

It usually happens when one person blasts someone on social media about their political or even non-political ideas. I tell Design Resumes clients if one person says the sky is blue, someone else will say it is green. It doesn’t stop there, it escalates until you have a full-scale comment war which can be easily seen by millions of people.

Do you know how much life is being wasted with this negative talk?

As if this isn’t bad enough, many job seekers and entrepreneurs seem oblivious to the damage they to themselves and their reputation do with toxic comments and posts.

Job seekers, are you aware that a Google search is executed through multiple Applicant Tracking Systems when you hit apply? Maybe you should think about what you say.

Entrepreneurs, the same goes for you. Many people Google before they hire. Do you know that your reputation precedes you?

Social media has the power to do good.

However, this needs to be active not just yelling at each other. To use social media positively, find things to share that are positive. Share things that inspire you.

I coach job seekers in multiple strategies to make the job search more successful and effective while writing strategic tools such as resumes, cover letters, executive bios, and LinkedIn profiles.

My interactive style is delivered in one-on-one Zoom meetings where you can ask as many questions as you want. Curious? Check out my three resume packages filled with a multitude of tools and services.