Tradeoffs and Opportunity Costs of Online Career Development

When thinking about career development activities--online or offline--we often forget to consider the tradeoffs or opportunity costs of online reputation development. In a recent issue of the Austin American Statesman, tech writer Omar Gallager provides an overview of research on how online reputation is likely to affect our lives more and more. As part of the article, Gallager noted the results of some of my research that suggested that having no information online might be as problematic as the red flags (e.g., drunk and naked photos), that we're used to hearing about in media reports. Although this suggests that people interested in career development should engage in online activities that make their expertise visible and reputation positive, the answer is not so simple. By spending time online for career development, we are extending our work commitments even further outside the time and space boundaries that define work from the rest of life. Furthermore, if our primary (or only) concern when engaging in online activities is the impact on our work and career, we may (although not necessarily), lose out on some of the identity exploration, social support, and other activities that research suggests are typical and oftentimes valuable uses of social media.

I am in support of career development, but I encourage you to consider the costs and the tradeoffs of those activities. Employers are likely going to keep looking. What we need are more creative solutions. That's one goal of my research. Suggestions are welcome.