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Twitter wants to know, “What’s happening?” while Facebook asks, “What’s on your mind?”  With a few keystrokes, it’s all too easy to share your innermost personal thoughts without thinking about the consequences.  Who is really listening anyway?

If you’re the vice president of public relations for a mobile phone company, the answer is Robert Scoble. A well-known tech blogger, Robert recently called the PR rep out on a late-night tweet about her distaste for men, sparking a fury of attention.  While her Twitter profile clearly states that it is a personal account, the situation left me wondering if she overstepped the fine line between personal and professional.

So where do we draw the line?  If you’re active on social media sites like I am, you know the importance of being authentic but it can be a challenge to strike the right balance.

This recent blog post from Web Worker Daily helps to put it into perspective and I’ve come up with a few tips of my own:
 

-Think before you type.  A recent study found that over 40% of tweets are just “pointless babble.”  Do you really want to add to the noise or do you want to be a part of the conversation?

-Avoid stream-of-consciousness updates.  It can be tempting to use these mediums to share your every thought or vent frustrations but don’t forget SOMEONE IS ALWAYS LISTENING (and it may be your boss, client, or colleague).

-Don’t be afraid to show your personality.  Whether you love music, fashion, sports or needle pointing, sharing your passions with your friends and followers makes you genuine and worth listening to.
 

-Consider separating your social networks. While it may be easier to link your status updates between networks, it’s not the best approach. Take control by adjusting your Facebook privacy settings or limiting your friends to those you actually know and trust. For business professionals, LinkedIN is a great place to network with others in your industry and build connections without getting too personal. 
 

-Always be smart. Be cautious with the amount of information you give out.  Recently, one Twitter user shared real-time updates about a vacation which may have lead to their home being burglarized.

Tell us, where do you draw the line between personal and professional?

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