92% of businesses check potential employees’ social media pages when making hiring decisions. This includes sites like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and even Pinterest. In fact, most hiring managers check candidates’ social media accounts regardless of whether or not it’s required. In today’s world, with so many personal details available online, it’s increasingly important to craft an appropriate and professional image.

One misguided post has the potential to destroy a career. Take, for example, the story of Justine Sacco. The previous head of communications for IAC was taken down by a single tweet: “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” She published the tweet as she was boarding a plane to Africa, and in the span of her 11-hour flight (where she had no wi-fi), the tweet went viral; by the time she landed, her post had been re-tweeted hundreds of times, her number of followers jumped from less than 200 to thousands, and she became the number one worldwide trend on Twitter. The catastrophe even had its own trending hashtag: #HasJustineLandedYet. In less than 140 characters, Justine Sacco ruined her professional life.

Sacco’s Tragic Story

Sacco’s tragic story is a testament to the power of social media and the importance of carefully monitoring everything that you post- no matter how big or small. It can be easy to think that whatever you share online is only for your friends or followers, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Even if you delete a picture or a post, that doesn’t mean it’s gone for good. As is evident by Sacco’s case, something can be deleted within hours (or minutes) and still be disastrous.

To help ensure that you don’t end up damaging your career with the click of a button, there are some simple social media tips that you can follow. First, decide whether or not your profile is public or private. Remember, however, that even if your profile is private, that doesn’t mean it’s a safe place to post risky content. Second, make sure the image you present online is consistent with the professional image that you want to convey. Google and search yourself from time to time, and if you find negative content, clean up what you can. If you can’t fix it or make it go away, be prepared to address it. You should also stay away from controversial topics and inflammatory remarks; if it’s not appropriate to discuss at a dinner party with strangers, you probably shouldn’t be making it your Facebook status.

While the list of things not to do on social media is a lengthy one, there are also things you should do to strengthen and validate your professional image online. For example, connect and affiliate yourself with upstanding, reputable organizations. Better yet, engage with them and bring meaningful content to the table. Who you affiliate with speaks to the type of person you are, so use social media’s ability to connect to your advantage.

Finally, feel free to share your personal life on social media, but be mindful of oversharing. Be aware of anything you post to any platform, even if you think it’s only going to be seen by a few friends. In our technology-centric world, everything you say and do online becomes permanent regardless of whether or not you delete the original post. If used responsibly, however, social media can be an invaluable tool to help you advance your professional goals. Just remember to think twice before posting, sharing, or liking.