It's okay to talk about your job in real life
IT’S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR JOB IN REAL LIFE
Note: I am not referring to those who have jobs that are top secret, or those who are required to sign ironclad non-disclosure agreements for their line of work, or violating any confidentiality protocols. I’m talking work LIFE…not job-specific discussions. Also, I am sensitive to the fact that levels of discretion regarding one’s career can vary based on generational differences and priming. Lastly, if you are someone who posts aggressively disrespectful and offensive content on your social media profiles, this blog post most likely doesn’t apply to you. Yes, ‘freedom of speech’ is a thing, but ‘freedom of consequences’ is not.
Now that I got that out of the way, here’s what I am saying…
Up until recently, I was conditioned to not talk about work to my friends, including on social media. To be honest, it wasn’t until about two years ago that I actually updated my Facebook profile to reflect where I worked. I always assumed that it was just normal that you didn’t want people to easily be able to see where you worked. It’s what I was taught by my older family members and mentors. But why? People could easily go to my LinkedIn profile, or even Google me if they really wanted that intel. Now, however, as I grow in my career, and have peers, mentees, and others who are on their own professional journeys, I believe it’s important to share struggles and triumphs with one another.
Are you familiar with communities of practice? If not, a Community of Practice is a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. Communities of practice are also a way for practitioners to share tips and best practices, ask questions of their colleagues, and provide support for each other. Is my reasoning starting to connect?
Oftentimes, our social circles, whether in person or online, are comprised of peers, even if we aren’t in the same line of work. When I think of my social media connections, I think of those who may be navigating corporate careers like myself. There may be corporate professionals younger than I, who are looking for success stories, how to overcome failures, and opportunities for optimizing their career trajectories. There may also be listeners who are older and further along in their careers, but open to hearing about different ways in which they can operate professionally, as well as gaining an understanding of how some of their younger colleagues and/or direct reports may feel and think. I promise you, if tapping in to my stories, they certainly get candid thoughts that they may be able to keep in mind when in the work setting…
Listen to your friends talk about their days at work.
So, here are the top reasons I talk about work in real life:
One third of my life is spent at work
The average professional spends at least 1/3 of their life working. That is a huge chunk of my life in which I have wins, losses and experiences that contribute to who I am as a person.
I can share and learn best practices
I have been fortunate enough to have some great opportunities come my way, whether it be promotions, recognition or landing new jobs. My peers have the same types of experiences, and I believe it’s important for us to be able to share how we achieved those wins, so that others may be able to replicate. Also, if there is a more creative, efficient or effective way to get work done, that is knowledge I believe everyone could benefit from if we are willing to share. Fun fact: When I post something work-related on my Facebook page, I use the hashtag, #watercoolerchat. That way, at any time, I, or any of my connections, can search that hashtag to pull up relevant conversations pertaining to work.
Facebook post seeking best practices
Humanizes the people I work with
For me, work is not just transactional. I am a human with emotions and I recognize that my co-workers are also human. Everything is not just about getting tasks done. When I tell stories about my interactions at work, it reinforces that there are actually personalities, feelings and characteristics associated with those people I work with on a daily basis. I am okay telling the good, bad and ugly, though, so it’s funny when one of my friends meets someone from my job that I haven’t enjoyed working with so much.
My friend meeting a co-worker who’s been giving me a difficult time: “Oh, so you’re John. Nice to meet you!”
It BRINGS LEVITY
Work can be intense, but it can also be fun with some awesome experiences. Even in the tough and crazy times, I have found that talking about them sometimes brings humor to the situations, allows me to look at them through a different lens, and oftentimes I’m able to approach the situations differently and with a more optimistic mindset.
Facebook post discussing difficulties at work
I can share failures
Social media is full of people’s wins. We mostly share the highlights and all the good times. Trust me, I get why this is the case. Who wants a social media newsfeed full of negativity? Also, there is such a thing as TMI. However, the fact that everyone tends to default to sharing only their wins can cause observers to get imposter syndrome.
I’m fully aware that to the average observer, it seems like I am always “winning” in my career, but as of recent, I found it just as important to share my struggles and pitfalls for two reasons: 1) My friends and colleagues should see that there are “valleys” I hit while pursuing my “mountaintop,” and 2) They may be able to provide advice on how I can overcome a hardship.
“Yes, I landed a great new job, but what you didn’t see is me being overlooked for a promotion and denied for two internal roles I applied for…”
It’s the perfect YIN to Bring your whole self to work’s YANG
There is no doubt that over at least the last five or so years, you have heard the phrase, “bring your whole self to work.” Companies’ focus on inclusion has prompted them to promote a new way of thinking. Gone are the times when you need to leave who you really are at the front door of your office buildings [or work calls…shout out to the pandemic]..at least in theory. Understandably, there’s still a lot of skepticism around that notion. But…if I’m being encouraged to bring my whole self to work, shouldn’t the same be true about my life outside of work? Why should I act like my career is not a big part of who I am? I spend at least 40-50 hours of my weeks being immersed in work. There’s no way I’m going to keep quiet about what I experience during those times. I don’t think you should, either.