This column originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of Tomorrow’s Technician.

We’ve all heard the saying “It’s a small world.” It’s true in everyday life and even more true in the automotive industry. My years in the automotive aftermarket have spanned multiple industries and professional relationships, and one thing always remains true: everyone seems to know everybody. 

I know a student who knows an auto instructor. He knows a counterperson, who also knows a store sales representative, who knows a brake company’s VP of sales, who knows the head of the company, etc. The chain goes on and on indefinitely across all automotive industries.

With the Internet, this web of connections grows even more, which is why it’s more important than ever to be careful about what you post online. Almost nothing is private these days and you don’t know who is looking. 

We recently hosted a webinar with our sister publications and received some lewd, inappropriate comments on the messaging platform from a few automotive students. Our editors, digital team and sponsor saw everything they posted, with their full names and school name listed. 

My point is, these students probably didn’t entertain the idea that our sponsor could be a potential employer. The industry talks and, at the end of the day, it’s a pretty small group. Words can be just as damaging as physical actions and these comments represented these students badly to industry professionals they could one day share connections with.

I’m sharing this in the hopes that it can be a learning opportunity. We all make mistakes and that’s how we get better. But, always remember, you never know who might be watching. It could be someone you’d like to work for in the future. 

CARLEY MILLHONE
Editor

Contact Carley at [email protected]

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