If you’re searching for a job, you should treat it as an extension of your personal brand.

A successful social media-fueled job search will depend on being real, and using your best judgment as to what is appropriate to share on social media. Occasionally there’s a news story about a public figure who tweets something inappropriate or manages to enrage a lot of people.

Maybe that happens because when we post on social media we’re behind a computer or phone screen, and don’t consider the full ramifications of what we post. This article will give you advice on proper social media etiquette and how to deal with negative social media once you encounter it.

Crafting your social media presence

Always use your best judgment

You have to be selective with what you post online. Many companies will check your LinkedIn and Facebook feeds to make sure that you are the right type of person they’re looking for. Therefore while you should still be real in your online interactions, be aware that what you post can have significant impact on your job prospects.

Monitor your online presence

You must monitor your social media channels so you are aware of what other people are saying about you. A free service called Google Alerts can send you an email when Google discovers your name mentioned online.

Proactively prune your social media presence

Sometimes a friend might post a picture of you on Facebook that’s not fully appropriate. You can always reach out to your friend and ask him or her to remove it. You also have the ability to untag yourself, which decreases the likelihood of someone finding an inappropriate picture of you.

Sometimes you need to go into crisis management mode

If you do end up posting something on social media that is inappropriate, remember that someone is likely to see it right away – so even if you try to delete it people, might already start talking about it. Speed is of the essence and if you had made a mistake, then be proactive and quickly admit it and apologize. The truth about social media is that things blow over quickly unless you try to hide them.