Are you still "YOU" on Social Media??

Has Social Media forced you to become someone you are not??? Threat to Originality ??

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Crowdsourcing, You Tube, DailyMotion etc.... There are so many social media options for an individual to portray themselves through. 

Earlier days most of our professional relationships were limited to work or work related circles and it was easier to maintain and distinguish between our personal lives and professional lives. Living up to an expected standard of life or way of life according to work standards was not necessary. As long as we adhered to the accepted professional norms while at work or at work related gatherings, it was sufficient to get by.

It was around year 2004 the concept of social media started mass scale expansion among the public. Since then, it has been on an accelerated expansion scale that each individual is subscribed to either one or more social media networks. This trend led to employers to use social media to either screen, headhunt or select individuals to different positions in organizations. It surely created more opportunities to anyone on the look out for jobs and also made it easier to screen the applications.

BUT.....

I sometimes  wonder if this is a threat to privacy and freedom of individuals and originality. The line between your professional lives and personal lives are becoming increasingly thinner that any post you make on social media is thought twice. 

How fair it is to be judged by an individual's personal interests, photos, updates, statuses, tweets in a crucial employment opportunity? does this mean individuals are been indirectly pressured to be "decent" in corporate terms on social media to ensure they meet THE criteria?

I think being original, being you and yet if someone is open and proud about being themselves, it is a positive fact about an individual. In an era where integrity and honesty are more difficult to find among employees, someone who can be themselves in social media sure will not have a different life to live to meet their "CREATED" identities.

I have seen some TEAM PLAYERS on social media who gets so arrogant when a team member has a different idea, some LEADERS on social media who cannot keep a team together or mentor his team mates,  some PHILOSOPHERS on social media who cannot get their act together at work.....I am sure many of us experience these in our day to day lives....

So can we really depend on social media for impressions? Let it be work, relationships, friends or partnerships....Sometimes social media distracts you from seeing the real picture.....because the world seems to be increasingly pressurizing all its members for a POSITIVE presence when it is far beyond from reality.

I personally choose to show who I am ...sometimes insecure...sometimes selfish...extremely competent...hard working...not perfect all the time....makes mistakes and willing to learn......because I am made out of all this...and I am proud of it....so next time when i make a post about de-motivation or a broken relationship or a destroyed friendship, I would not think twice because it is a part of me and I will be successful when people accept me for all I am....

How many of you are bold enough to do the same? Can we all be original? I believe accepting your weaknesses and your real self and getting your self together in front of the world as you are makes you stronger than trying to live up to the fake identification you created with a huge battle within your mind.

Cheers to all original people !!