Personally, my aim is to use social media to broaden my professional network, share my research and connect with the science community related to my work. Given this, I was quite happy that when googling my name, only professional pages were returned. The search returned my LinkedIn profile, my Research Gate page and also my twitter.
Although my aim is to have and maintain a professional presence online, I do not believe there is any harm in sharing posts or posting about personal hobbies or interests – which for me is cycling or electronics.
Social media platforms such as LinkedIn and ResearchGate are made for professionals and professional networking, and so on the rare occasion I feel the need to share a personal interest or hobby with the world I go to Twitter. Twitter for me is the perfect in between of personal and professional. It allows me to share photos or links regarding my research but also has more informal/relaxed communities with which I can share my hobbies and interests. The communities I wish to share things with can easily be targeted by using the right hashtags – simple.
I understand why people may be cautious over posting to social networks, with potential employers able to gain an insight into your character by looking at what you post. However, I feel that it is so easily controllable that it could only ever be in your favour! (As long as nothing ridiculous is posted e.g. whilst drunk). Employers would not deny someone an interview if they post about a hobby, and if a person’s hobby or interest is related to the job they are applying for then it would only show enthusiasm for that subject and if anything, help their chances!
Dan Makes Stuff 
Hi Dan, really enjoyed reading this. Yes I think the line between an academic and personal profile is an interesting one to explore. Perhaps we are too rigid in our definitions of those things. Look forward to see how you explore that further in 23 things!
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Hi Dan – great to hear that you’re pleased with the results when you Google your name, that’s a good position to be in! I completely agree that there’s nothing wrong with sharing some posts about hobbies – it emphasises that you are a well-rounded person with varied interests, and that’s certainly something that any good employer would be keen to see.
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