That headline caught my attention (which is the purpose of a headline) because my business is both web design and social media.

“Social media is an interesting thing. As web design professionals, it can be a great opportunity to share your work and get in front of prospects who might otherwise never find you online. But for as much good as social media can do to propel your marketing efforts, it has the potential to be just as harmful to your business.”

But it turns out that the author is referring to how my social media presence could hurt my chances of getting a new job or client.

70% of hiring organizations research candidates using social media, and 57% of hiring managers have chosen not to pursue a candidate because of what they found on social media. So, I guess I need to watch what I say on social media. maybe I should avoid social media altogether. No[e, that’s not a good idea because 47% of organizations won’t contact a candidate if they have no online presence.

So, it’s a mixed message. Use social media the wrong way, and prospective clients will rule you out, but don’t use social media at all and they will also rule you out.