Social Media Paranoia - by Anita Koske

If you are like me and you are not comfortable sharing your life on social media, you really want to but are sort of afraid, then you and I, together with thousands of other people, have a common problem that might be stopping us from reaching our true potential. Not long ago, I applied for a job, and I was surprised that they took the time to look at my social media platforms. The bad news is that there was nothing there, why? My paranoia. I have always struggled with the fear of putting myself out there when it comes to the internet. People have various reasons for their paranoia, for some it is the fear of stalkers, catfishing, receiving criticism from peers, bullying, or they just cannot stomach it, just like me! We are social beings, and we care about what people think about us, and we can be very, very fragile to comments from loved ones, and even strangers, and putting ourselves out there just seems impossible. However, in the current job-hunting environment, social media screening is a thing. Hiring professionals check their candidates’ social media profiles to vet them, it is a way of getting a glimpse into their personality beyond the perfect resumes. Social media has the potential to seriously affect our professional life, and it would not hurt to build a social media presence that could enhance our job search. Think of it as social media branding, but it is you that you are putting out there to increase the chances of being noticed by a potential employer or even a business partner. But, this starts with getting over your paranoia, which is something I have been working on. It is easy to use social media as a scapegoat that we do not want to put our information on social media, that it will endanger us, but the truth is, the information is already out there. With Google, you can easily find someone’s phone number, age, and even where they live, google earth even provides a detailed look at the home. The point is, all the information is already there, posting a picture or video on Facebook or Instagram is not putting you at any risk, the worst that could happen is getting negative comments and people talking. Of course, people will talk no matter what, some might even be jealous, ha-ha. The paranoia to post on social media is simply the fear of failing or criticism, nothing more. On the other hand, it is a branding and business tool, it could provide an opportunity to climb higher in your career ladder, or the least you could do is inspire someone in your stories. Like someone told me, it is a way to go out there and get yourself the life you want. It is an essential component of personal success today. The good news is that you don’t have to live with the paranoia. Slowly unpack what scares you the most. The world is continuously becoming reliant on social media apps, and the best you can do is leverage social media to build your own brand. Worried about being discreet? You can control what to reveal, and keep personal information private. Start by posting pictures that reflect your hobbies, interests, your passions, keep it clean and tell your story. Let go of your fear and just start, there is no way around it!

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