How to Not Get Fired Over Facebook

It should be common knowledge that what you say on Facebook and Twitter is available for almost anyone to see. Trashing your boss, lamenting about how lame your job is, and even ranting about co-workers aren't the smartest things to post on Facebook, not only because they could potentially get back to the people in question, but also because no one really wants to hear about your crappy work situation. Let's face it — being a Debbie Downer could lead to unfriending.

Need some Facebook work-life pointers? Follow along with these tips that should help you from getting fired . . . well, at least because of your Facebook posts — I unfortunately can't help you with your bad attitude. Find out what they are after the break.

• Keep negative comments about work offline — As I said above, badmouthing anyone at work or how crappy you think your job is should be reserved for in-person rants with your offline friends, not your 250 Facebook acquaintances. You never know who their friends are. It's a small world, after all.
• Don't call in sick then post pics from last night's rager — If you're calling in sick due to a wicked hangover, it's best not to post your awesome drunk pics from the party you attended the night before. It's bad form. Also, if you tell your boss you have a bad case of the flu, try not to check in to any location on Foursquare that may indicate otherwise.
• Don't be a slacker — Sure, obsessively checking Facebook for new comments on the latest gallery you posted may seem fun, but when you're on the clock, that means you're wasting company time. Other than griping about how bored you are at work while at work, slacking off could be grounds for termination. Just sayin'.
• Make sure your privacy settings are the way you want them — Facebook has come a long way in terms of control over your own privacy, so why not take advantage? Make sure your profile is set to private (so your boss can't go poking around without a friendship approval), only the need-to-know people can see your Places check-in locations, and your mobile settings are the way you want them. If this is all too much to handle (don't worry, you're not the only one who gets confused), you can simply scan your Facebook account for privacy using this handy tool.

Got any other tips on how to not get fired over your Facebook posts or habits? Share them in the comments below!