With the rise of social media users, it seems inevitable that social media should be used to further everyone's professional careers. Every professional appears to think that not having a social media presence lessens their probability of having a better job or better employment opportunities.
While one can claim that the popularity of social media has caused the deterioration of culture, someone else has claimed that quitting social media makes for a better career. Cal Newport, a blogger and writer who does not have any social media account, point out that you do not need social media to have a better job.
Most would argue that having a social media account brings about more exposure to an individual. You are presented with more opportunities and even more connections that can be good for you. But Cal argues that it's not about the opportunities you look for social media. The key is improving you. He relates how he first developed himself as a writer and academic, and when his standing has improved, the opportunities came knocking for him, and not the other way around.
While the possibilities presented due to having many followers in Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook cannot be ignored, you don't need to rely on those social media pages to attract the clients or customers that you need. If you hone your talents and become more and more valuable in your field, the opportunities will find you.
Arguably, the biggest problem with social media is that it is addictive, and therefore cannot be considered harmless. The ability to concentrate and focus on your work is detrimental to being a good employee. Social media acts as a distraction. Cal claims that the more you use social media, the more that your brain will look for a stimulus to relieve it of boredom. You become more and more addicted to using social media that you can no longer be efficient with your work.
What happens is that social media diverts you from having to do the actual work that you need to do. Most professionals spend so much time building up their brand, and it cannot be considered as professional advancement. Most social media is used for entertainment, and to believe that you are very productive while using social media is a waste of time.
For millennials who want to create change and influence the world, the key is not in social media. You need to shut down your phones, shut down your laptops, and focus on your work and in the words of Steve Martin, "Be so good they can't ignore you."
