Aimeé
There are a lot of different ideas about what’s appropriate to share on social media these days, especially since many profiles are public.
It’s not unusual for a prospective employer to ask for your Twitter and Instagram handles, which has gotten people into hot water in the past.
A woman named Emily Clow discovered just how awkward that can get after a potential employer screenshot her bikini pic from Instagram, then shared it to their own Insta story, shaming her for the image. Is that what they think is appropriate?
Clow shared the story on Twitter, saying she applied for a job at a place called “Kickass Masterminds” which is already a red flag, in my opinion.
The company said her image of herself was “unprofessional,” but somehow screen-shotting it and mocking her online wasn’t.
https://twitter.com/emilyeclow/status/1179081260943196161
In their post about her, Kickass Masterminds (oh god) wrote, “PSA (because I know some of you applicants are looking at this): do not share your social media with a potential employer if this is the kind of content on it. Go on with your bad self and do whatever in private. But this is not doing you any favors in finding a professional job.”
Jealous much?
Clow shared a little clip of the marketing company’s goals and mantras, and ironically, they think of themselves as “rebellious” leaders who push boundaries. I guess they mean push boundaries of bad interview behavior. If you don’t want to hire someone who has worn a bikini in a pool, don’t hire them. You don’t need to make yourself look like a jackass by body-shaming them.
This seems to be the kind of stuff the company posts that they consider professional:
How is this professional?? pic.twitter.com/CIpg4hBqEJ
— Josc (@joscelyn_lilly) October 2, 2019
Looks like it’s a woman who sees herself as a badass but can’t handle anyone else looking hot and cool. Got it.
Kickass Masterminds has now gone private on every social media platform because people are so horrified by their behavior. And Clow has been getting lots of job offers as her story has blown up:
— SheRatesDogs (@SheRatesDogs) October 1, 2019
https://twitter.com/Shelovestravel/status/1179123087113101312
https://twitter.com/Shelovestravel/status/1179124548484161538
The truth is a lot of companies do judge people based on their social media presence and the advice itself isn’t terrible, even though the execution was horrific. The companies who successfully weed out hot applicants are doing so quietly, never commenting on their policies.
It is something to consider if you’re applying to a place with a more conservative atmosphere. But on the other hand, do you want to work somewhere that frowns at you living your best life online? One thing is clear: no one wants to work at a company that body shames applicants.
