Sad to say, but in our current climate, even teenagers aren’t immune from making public mistakes that can end, or seriously harm, their future careers. I’m not just talking about having a job or college admissions offer rescinded because a person has engaged in poor social media behavior; I’m talking about any recorded behavior—photos, videos, emails, and text messages—they may have produced that can surface years later.
That said, I acknowledge that sometimes even when we know a particular action is not right—even if we know it’s being “permanently” memorialized—we engage in it anyway. That’s because we’re human and don’t always process our emotions before we react. Probably not a single person reading this blog hasn’t uttered an inappropriate word about someone when they perceive that person has harmed them; and some of us have had harsh things to say about people who simply have ideas that differ from our own. Sometimes your feelings that result in angry words or actions are understandable, and you might get away with the casual utterance here or there behind closed doors in the company of a family member or a true friend. But that’s where your diatribes should end . . . or otherwise your professional future could end.
So, to give you a better shot at doing careering right, this blog will explore what you—teens and adults—can do now to prevent yourself from making some very human mistakes in a public forum (and in life in general).
REAL CONSEQUENCES OF RECORDED MISBEHAVIOR
Before we look at a few tips to help you keep your “record clean,” let’s pause to consider how being caught exhibiting egregious behavior affected the careers of two talented people.
First up is the plight of former Virginia governor Ralph Northam, a medical doctor by profession. In early 2019, a decades-old medical school yearbook photo revealed that he had apparently, as a twentysomething-year-old, donned blackface or had dressed in KKK garb. In the wake of the discovery of the photo, many people called for then-fifty-nine-year-old Northam, who is white, to resign his gubernatorial post. He was shamed on national TV, called out for the racist act portrayed in the photo, and questioned about his racial attitudes and behaviors as a youth and as an older man. A hailstorm of controversy swirled around the governor, with some people wanting him to keep his post and other people calling for him to resign. In the end, he clung to his job, but not without a permanent stain on his reputation.
Still, Northam was fortunate to keep his position. But the average person—read: not a political figure with significant power—likely won’t encounter the same result.
Consider the case of Alexi McCammond, whose situation arose in early 2021, two years after the Northam controversy. McCammond, an up-and-coming journalist who is black, was set to become the editor-in-chief of national magazine Teen Vogue. But a decade before, the then-teenage McCammond posted anti-Asian and homophobic tweets. Like Northam, whose behavior was given a pass by some people who believed in his ability to improve and leave his old ways behind, McCammond’s racist—and homophobic—behavior was forgiven too. In her case, those who hired her knew about her old tweets—she had been transparent about them and renounced her old ways. McCammond was only days away from starting her new job when some magazine staffers and others objected to her hiring, however. Consequently, McCammond stepped aside before she even started the job.
THE TIPS
So yes, we’re human, and we all make mistakes, some more egregious than others. But HOW can you avoid falling down this trap? Let’s consider a few scenarios:
- If you’ve got any problems that have “ism” attached—“racism, sexism, elitism, misogynism,” etc.—reflect on why you hold these ideas and feelings. To overcome your problem, you may want to sit down with a therapist, join some diversity courses, and/or talk with a career coach with a background in diversity issues. Now, that being said, many people don’t realize that they have these problems—or they are in denial about it. If multiple people in your workplace, at home, at school, and/or other organizations have mentioned that you suffer from an “ism,” maybe it’s time for you to accept that you do and reach out for help.
- If you’re a person who feels the need to post something on social media or to leave a nasty voicemail or text message or some other form of recording—or the need to directly confront someone—do this instead: Write down exactly what you want to say, but write it down on paper. First, don’t you feel better having written your thoughts down? OK, now that you agree that it was nice to let off some steam, let the paper sit for a few days, then read what you wrote again. Do you find that you still feel the same way? Even if you do, you’ll likely discover that you don’t need to post those thoughts in a social media forum or record them in a voicemail because much of what you needed to achieve—to let off steam—was reached by the simple action of getting your thoughts out.
- If you determine, after writing your thoughts down, that you still have a legitimate gripe, make it in a professional manner in a “legitimate” arena—not on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the like. Depending on the situation, it’s best, for example, to talk to or file a written complaint with:
*a customer service department
*a department head
*human resources
*a school counselor
*a teacher
*the Better Business Bureau
*a lawyer if the situation can’t be resolved at a lower level and is of such magnitude that
it demands legal attention (such as a harassment or theft claim) - You may also decide that you want to talk with someone less formal. If so, seek out, for example:
*a career coach
*a mentor
*a trusted friend, relative, or associate who has been in a position similar to your own. Ask them what steps they took to navigate their situation. Did their actions result in a successful outcome? How can you apply them to your circumstances?
One last word on this subject: Sometimes in the heat of the moment, you don’t have all the facts; you just have some facts and your feelings. So, let that moment pass, get all of your information, and remember: Write down your thoughts on paper and, after taking a breather, decide how you will professionally address your issue. And, if you don’t need it, shred the paper after you’re done.
