Photo sharing is a great way to send around memories and tell stories with a visual aid. However, there are some types of photos that can potentially harm your professional reputation if they get in the hands of the wrong people…or if they are simply put on the Web at all.
Here is a brief overview of the types of photos and photo sharing efforts that may work against you in a professional setting:
Facebook and MySpace
If you have a MySpace or Facebook account (or have friends that might tag you in photos on their MySpace or Facebook accounts), you should be aware that your photos will be available for viewing by people that you might not know.
When you put photos online on these social networking sites, many times these photos are not protected or private. Therefore, people that you know may be able to look at them without asking you for permission. Also, this means that people that you don't know, such as potential employers or current employers, could be looking at them.
If there are inappropriate photos of you, such as photos with you and alcohol, the photos may have been taken innocently, but your employer or potential employer might use them as a reason to deny employment to you. Therefore, be careful when putting photos of yourself online or when allowing friends to put photos of you online.
Cubicle Décor
If you post photos of yourself or your friends at work, make sure that the photos are rather neutral and in good taste. It is most likely not a good idea to post photos of yourself in a swimsuit or photos of yourself at a crazy party, as these photos would be inappropriate and potentially hazardous to your career, should a supervisor deem them offensive or in bad form.
Make sure that all of your photos are modest and that they would be appropriate for viewing on the front page of the newspaper if you are going to share them at work. Remember: your work environment should remain professional at all times, even if you have had a fun vacation or weekend.
Emailed Photos
Any time you send photos to friends or work colleagues via email, you never know when these photos could end up in the wrong hands. Therefore, keep in mind that they should be tasteful. When using your work computer, chances are good that there is an email filter or monitoring system in place to intercept attachments, or at least view them.
Remember: work is a place for professionalism and modesty. Therefore, you do not want to insult or annoy your employer by spending time sharing photos or gushing over photos. If you feel it is appropriate to engage in limited amounts of photo sharing, do so, but do so with discretion.
