Five (Valid) Reasons To Decline Your Boss' Facebook Friend Request It's a lazy Friday morning and you've been watching movies in bed all day, then bam: A friend request pops up… from your boss!
By May Rostom
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It's a lazy Friday morning and you've been watching movies in bed all day, then bam: A friend request pops up… from your boss! You keep thinking of all your previous posts and how bad it'd be if your boss sees them, then start to think how awkward it would be when you attempt to explain why you haven't yet done the add on Facebook…The latter beats out the former and you decide that snubbing your superior just isn't worth it, so friend request accepted. This point right here is basically kissing your career advancement goodbye. Here are five reasons why you shouldn't cave.
1. IRL/AFK
Your boss will know when you're online on Facebook (and pretending to work). Most of us spend around two hours on Facebook during work hours (admit it, you know you do!), and the last person that should know that is definitely your boss.
2. Necromancy
Your "dead uncle" is active on your Facebook page. We've all pulled the "dead uncle" card when calling in absent for work. Unless the dearly departed is a character from Twilight or is the world's first real zombie, your boss will not be happy to see him active and liking your posts!
3. Crying wolf
If you decide to take a "sickie", then you'd better be sick because posting photos at the beach instead of sipping on some hot soup at home will land you in hot water. If your boss ever catches you lying (which is bound to happen), they'll never believe you again.
4. Dirty laundry
Facebook is super personal; your boss will be privy to everything that's happening in your life. From changing your relationship status, to being hung over on Saturday morning after last night's hard partying, your boss will know every single detail of your personal life. At some point you might even forget that they're on your friends list.
5. Self-censorship
You can't complain about your job, totally defying the whole purpose of Facebook in my opinion. No more posts about your insane workload, your boss' idiosyncrasies, gossip about your nasty co-worker or the rampant unprofessional conduct of your colleagues. Don't even think about complaining about your salary, because it will suggest to your boss that you're either a) bad with money or b) digging for a raise.
If you're ever caught up in the dilemma of having to add your boss on Facebook, simply redirect them to LinkedIn explaining how you don't like to mix personal and business lives. It'll be awkward at first, but it's not as bad as having to explain the drunken bar star moments captured in tagged pics. If you, like so many people, opt for the acceptance and limited-profile tactic, remember that your boss can tell that you've restricted their access- that too is a catch-22. You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't!
