Some teens spend their summer vacations hanging out with friends and playing video games, while others strive for success in the working world by taking on internships or doing work-study programs. For companies that are taking on young blood this summer, you may want to set up some guidelines in advance—before you hand over the reins to your social media accounts.
The United Kingdom company, Southern Rail, recently allowed its work-study intern, Eddie, to take over its Twitter account, and like most things on the Internet, his tweets went viral. A spokesperson for Southern Rail told The Telegraph, “Eddie’s time with the Southern Twitter team was part of a structured work experience programme with Govia Thameslink Railway—for which the intake has more than quadrupled this year—which Eddie has excelled in.”
The spokesperson added, “Using social media to keep our passengers up-to-date is a key part of our modernisation plan.” However, I don’t think they were prepared for the onslaught of random questions that had nothing to do with railroads, trains, or even Eddie’s work experience program. Instead, Eddie was asked a variety of questions, on a variety of topics, including the standard interview question:
100 duck-sized horses. A horse-sized duck would be pretty scary! You? ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
100 duck-sized horses. A horse-sized duck would be pretty scary! You? ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
One Twitter user even relied on Eddie to help decide what they should have for dinner, asking:
It has to be the chicken fajitas ? ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
Hi, what service will you be on tonight? Be sure to make me some! ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
All i want is a chicken fajita ? ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
After all the back and forth with Eddie, a different Twitter user asked a legitimate question to the Southern Rail Twitter account, in which Neil—a Southern Rail employee—stepped in to answer, and the Twitter community was outraged!
I’m still here! ^Eddie
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
Thank God for that. I was getting concerned and had a swat team ready. We’ve got your back Eddie. Grand job!
— Sgt Harry Tangye (@DC_ARVSgt) July 11, 2017
With Eddie’s growing popularity, some Twitter users even tried to poach him for their own gains:
You’re not having him. He is ours 🙂 ^Neil
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 11, 2017
Good try, but clearly Eddie was destined to be with Southern Rail! You can read more of Eddie’s Southern Rail experience here.
 Melissa Blazejak is a Senior Web Content Editor at BLR. She has written articles for HR.BLR.com and the HR Daily Advisor websites and is responsible for the day-to-day management of HR.BLR.com and HRLaws.com. She has been at BLR since 2014. She graduated with a BA of Science, specializing in Communication, from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2008. Most recently, she graduated in 2014 with a MS of Educational Technology. |