Teenage fired for complaining about job on Facebook

Ok – here’s the deal. Don’t put anything on your social network pages that you don’t want the ENTIRE world to know about. You on Facebook is a window to your life – or so is the perception of people who read what you post on Facebook, what you tweet about on Twitter… get the picture?

I ran across this story of a 16 year old girl who wrote on her Facebook that her first day at her new job was “boring” and that she hated the menial tasks. Guess what? A co-worker who was her “Facebook friend” read the comment and told their boss… Bummer.

So again, back to the rule. It’s really simple: Don’t put anything on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social network that you don’t want you boss, your husband/wife, kids, friends, teachers… to know. Period. You mold the way you interact through speech in situations, e.g you (hopefully) don’t cuss in front of your kids or priest… so intelligently mold yourself in social media. Cultivate your persona. Be real, but be smart. Choose your words carefully. We really don’t need to know everything. Somethings are better kept to yourself.

So when the girl’s boss learned of the comments on Facebook:

Kimberley Swann was called into her boss’ office where she was told, “‘I have seen your comments on Facebook, and I don’t want my company being in the news.” She was told it was not good for the company, fired, and escorted from the premises in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.

So if you decide to write about your job and get fired, or complain about your wife and she’s not happy, that’s your choice. Just don’t complain afterward. You made your bed.

Read the rest of the story here.

Swann is upset and, as only a 16 year old can, complained: “I just put that my job was boring. They were just being nosy, going through everything. I think it is really sad; it makes them look stupid that they are going to be so petty.

Maybe they are being petty, but here’s the deal: it’s their prerogative. Check the consequences before you write.