Do you need a social media checkup? In today’s professional world, it should be assumed that a company will check a candidate’s social media presence when they are looking for employment with that company. It is important to find out how your potential candidate presents themselves to the world and what they choose to share on social media.
Why Should I be Concerned?
According to a 2018 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. They look for information supporting the candidate’s qualifications as well as the negative stuff.
One job hunter named Sarah was in her third and final round of interviews at a company. Unfortunately, she forgot to clean up her Facebook page prior to beginning her job hunt. She was not extended an offer because of the passionate and derogatory views that she expressed about a previous employer. Another candidate, Matthew, did not remove images that he posted on Instagram of drinking and partying with his friends on a weekly basis. The company decided that they didn’t want to deal with a party animal showing up late to work. They never extended an offer to him.
Sam posted a lot of discriminatory comments on his page with hateful remarks about people of a different race and sex. When the employer saw how negative and polarizing his posts were, they chose not to offer a second interview. Another job hunter bragged on social media about skipping work and going to the lake for the day. Although he had been the top candidate, he was not offered the job.
Clean Up Your Accounts
As far as employers are concerned, in today’s world, everything you choose to put on social media is a direct reflection of who you are. So you might want to consider a social media checkup.
I always advise my clients to clean up their social media accounts prior to starting their job search. On Facebook, it’s not just the images that you post and the information that you put out there, it is also what you have been tagged in. It is wise to look at all of your posts, as well as anything you have been tagged in. Untag, hide, or delete items prior to beginning your job search.
Lastly, there is always the option to suspend your account temporarily while you are on the job market. But be aware that employers expect you to have social media of some sort and if everything is deleted, it could be a red flag.
In this day and age, you must be exceptionally vigilant about what you share on social media and what the content says about you.
Stand Out From the Crowd
When you are looking for your next opportunity, it is extremely important to be at your professional best and to differentiate yourself from other job seekers. Take the time to complete a social media checkup and make sure you are putting your best foot forward. If you need help, we can get you on the right track to get the job you want. Contact Rachel Schneider to schedule an appointment.
