Social media is playing a larger part in how companies consider your employment. More hiring managers today are looking at applicants’ social profiles before making hiring decisions. Employers aren’t just looking for blatantly bad behavior, though. They also want to make sure you’ll be a great addition to their team.
In today’s competitive job market, it is important for you to stand out on paper, in person, and even online. In addition to impressive, easy-to read resumes and smart, personable cover letters, young professionals need to be aware of what they’re sharing on their social networks.
Besides avoiding negative behaviors, such as posting racy photos, there are things you can do to make yourself more appealing to potential employers. The guide below highlights key places on social profiles where hiring managers look for “red flags”, and offers quick and easy steps to help turn potential disaster into professional success.
37 percent of employers surveyed said they used social media to screen job candidates.
34 percent of hiring managers surveyed said information on a person’s social profile kept them from hiring the candidate
It’s critical that job seekers understand exactly what they’re sharing on Facebook and other social networks. Right now, these social profile snafus are deterring employers from hiring you:
The first things an employer is going to see when s/he views your Facebook profile are your profile photo and your cover photo. Be sure to choose pictures that paint clean, friendly images of an up-and-coming professional eager to earn gainful employment. For example, let’s compare these two profile photos:
While the first impression might be the most important, employers are not going to stop after viewing your profile image. Your next step is to go through your activity log and delete or hide other potentially offensive content on your profile.
Now that you’ve scrubbed through each of your profiles, go through and double check that comments made by you and your friends are also appropriate. Be sure that all photos (not just your profile image and cover images) are also appropriate; or, set your privacy settings accordingly.
For better or for worse, your social media profiles serve as embodiments of your personal brand, and, as such, they are no longer idle playgrounds, but tools to help you get an internship, land a job, or attract future clients. Keep up your profiles by:
For more information on ways employers are using social media and why it is more important than ever to keep your social profiles clean and professional, check out these additional resources:
