I have been debating coming off social media for years...

How many followers do you have? If you asked that question 10 years ago most people would think you were talking to a cult leader. Of course these days, unless you have been living in a cave, we all know it refers to your social media following.

Our online network has become a barometer for success. A guide by recruitment website Monster goes as far as saying if hiring managers can’t find you online “it looks like you either have something to hide or nothing to show, both of which will send your CV to the bottom of the pile.”

It’s this issue that is on actress Samantha Womack’s mind when we caught up with her for this week’s big interview (pages 6&7).

The former EastEnders star says a great audition no longer guarantees you a part, as actors are also increasingly rated on their social media following.

“You know they have half a million followers, so they get the job,” says Sam.“I want to work, so I’m in a battle with it myself – I’m trying to do it but loathing the fact I have to.”

And therein lies the rub.

I’ve debated coming off social media for years, going as far as disabling my Twitter and Facebook a few times, but the niggling fear of missing out socially and professionally, draws me back.

There’s an episode of dystopian drama Black Mirror that haunts me. It shows a world where everything in life, from landing a job to getting a mortgage depends on your social media rating. If you are not online you are worth nothing. In many ways social media is a cult – and we are all cult leaders. I hope one day we’ll all wake up and make a collective decision to rejoin the real world.