One thing about social media imaginery is a person can be whatever they want to be. There are no checks and balances or ethics department designed to ensure truth and honesty. Dating websites do not help the reputation of social media identity or integrity either. It’s difficult to figure out what’s real, what’s for show and what’s the angle. That’s why you got to appreciate someone like Laurie Ruettiman and her The Cynical Girl website. I don’t know her but if you spend time on her site there is high level of transparency.  Actually you may be a little put off by her style but from all accounts she’s cool. But this article is not about her; this article is about maintaining and understanding your own social identity

Fakers and posers.

How are you to tell the posers from the legitimate good peeps? See that’s the thing, there is no formula for that. You just have to use your skills in people assessment. I’m a pretty good judge of character, I can tell when someone is genuine and when there are full of more stuff than a Christmas turkey. I don’t put these folks on blast because it’s not that important to me and I understand that many people believe and live by the mantra “fake it till you make.”  I think you should be real. Be authentic because sooner or later someone is going to want to put you to the test and fakers usually fail.

So when I see all this jockeying for positions and different images being promoted online and I have to remind myself of something that Buzz Rooney tells me all the time, which is “Remember why you got started.” When was the last time you asked yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Only you can answer that question. Is to make money, get in on the conference circuit, connect with others or to  become a better professional?

Do I want to get perks? YES. Do I want to get paid? Yep. But I also love helping people figure out this thing we call “work.” Tearing down the walls of disengagement, abuse, unethical behavior and discriminatory treatment. I want to help companies figure out ways to use their human capital effectively without throwing money or incentives at them. I want to help that mid-level career personal advance and get that promotion. I want to work with those HR professionals that want to do something spectacular.  I’ve said this a million times, HR is important, so let’s tear down the walls and focus on it.