If 2016 has taught us anything, it’s that there is a very fine line between authenticity and just being a jerk. Discerning between the two may be the difference between landing your next big break in the job market or spending another umpteen weeks driving to and from interviews.

The Information Age

A poor reputation was something easily hidden until several years ago. Now it's kid's stuff to find you out, because your emotional and personal profile is laid out in prose and pictures via social media. Anyone seeking to know the genuine you, including potential employers, can get an overview rather easily.

Recruiters for jobs routinely Google prospects, and then go over social media with a fine-toothed comb. That means they won't miss things there that might have been glossed over in your five-star interview. 
What postings may give a future employer cause for concern?

Inappropriate Content

This is the most obvious disqualifier. A quick review of your Facebook timeline or Twitter feed may highlight content that seemed humorous and innocuous at the time, but may strike employers as classless or unprofessional. Remember that the internet is forever, that everybody should be treated with a basic level of respect, and that TMI is very real.

Playing the Victim

The ugly step-sister of inappropriate content is the pity party. We all have had experiences when we are unfairly mistreated, and we’ve all been convinced at one time or another that our bad luck must somehow be a conspiracy. These thoughts are best kept your yourself, because they send clear messages about your attitude. 100% of employers are looking for people who will take ownership of their new position, and 0% of those people see themselves as victims of circumstance. If your lack of performance is always someone else’s fault, it might be time for some brutally-honest soul-searching.

Dave Ramsey says is this way: “You are the hero in this story – not the victim in this story. You are in charge of your destiny. You are the one that gets up off of your dadgum couch and decides to live your life! You’re the one that decides to get sick and tired of being sick and tired and decides to get out of debt, to get into an exercise program, decides to read some nonfiction books this year. You are not a victim!”

Friend Postings
Friends are what social media is for, right? Maybe not. Social faux pas by friends, such as vulgar or demeaning arguments and pictures can tar you with the same brush. Blocking content from certain persons may be an advantage to your reputation. I’m not saying you have to disown your favorite crazy uncle or your overly political high school bestie, but do be intentional about the company you keep and the interactions you allow to be associated with you. After all, as Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Your Style of Debate
Almost all people with strong opinions occasionally debate others on social media. There is nothing untoward about stating opinion in print and using facts or research to back it up. 
However, if we were to be honest, many of us get sucked into the mire and mud-flinging of personal attacks during a debate. Such has become characteristic of the tone of conversation in our time. Name-calling and bullying take the place of intelligent discussion. This may influence the recruiter's view of your maturity, and put your candidacy for a job in the discard pile.

Your Comments About Your Previous Employment
This one is the biggie. Everyone knows that work-place gossip and drama should stay behind the office doors, or better yet not exist at all! You should avoid this kind of toxic interaction whenever possible. If it manages to suck you in, discuss it with a trusted mentor, not with 1.71 billion Facebook users. Making such comments public are the sign of a small, emotionally immature individual, and nobody wants to hire one of those.

Defamation of Character

Due to the far-reaching weave of the world wide web, your reputation can be ruined with a click. So far we’ve talked a lot about ways your words and actions affect your reputation. Unfortunately, even when your actions are above reproach, your reputation can still be damaged online and offline by malicious individuals seeking to do you harm.

Winston Churchill stated, "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Churchill must have been a prophet, because his statement is terribly true today, where communications literally travel tens of thousands of miles in milliseconds.

What is defamation of character? It is any communication which is untrue, whose impact on an individual or business causes demonstrable damage. When it is spoken it is called slander. When it written it is called libel. Both are causes for legal action, but chances are if you’re searching for a job, you lack the time and resources to bring such action. Luckily, there are alternatives.

One of the best ways to counter online defamation is to post frequent positive comments with good SEO content on the pages to finally consign the negative to the lower search echelons. Some negative search results can even be removed entirely.

Your own actions online usually far outweigh the nefarious efforts of others to damage your reputation in the eyes of a future employer. Take an objective look at your social accounts and review the content. Does it make you appear an emotionally mature, well-educated person? Do you present yourself as an agent to act and not an object to be acted upon? Make sure you are being intentional about the messages you send about yourself at all times, online and offline. You will maximize your chances of landing a job with a quality employer.