When job hunting, many people believe that the content that
they post on their social media will have no effect on their ability to get a
job. Many job seekers don’t believe that
a prospective employer would search for them through search engines or on social
media, therefore they don’t monitor and alter their social content.
Recent studies have shown that 7 out of 10 employers will carry out an online
search on their prospective employees and may decide about hiring them then and
there.
This is also backed up by a study by the Society for Human Resource Management
(SHRM), they found that;
- 84% of employers recruit via social media.
- 43% of employers screen job candidates through social media.
- 36% of companies have disqualified potential job candidates after doing an online search or looking at social media.
The evidence is pretty clear, for any job that you apply
for, you can expect to be looked up online and through social media. Do your
social media pages display what you’d like potential employers to see?
Don’t worry if your social media pages contain content which may not present
you in a professional light. We have a list of Do’s and Don’t’s which will help
get your social profiles looking professional and employable.
Do
- Separate Personal And Professional Profiles – Many people think that they should make every social profile they have private. This can be detrimental in your job search. Potential employers might think you are hiding something or that you have nothing to show. You should separate your social profiles, decide which ones you’d like potential employers to see and which ones you’d like to keep personal. For example, you could have your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts open for anyone to see, in these accounts you could post and engage with content that would be relevant to your career and would impress a potential employer. You could have your Facebook and Instagram accounts set to private and post content a bit more freely.
- Have an Active Social Profile – Keep your public social profiles active and updated with relevant information. This way your potential employer will be able to see your interests and any life events that you choose to share. A dormant profile could deter a potential employer as they might think that you don’t have much to say or share.
- Follow Relevant Accounts – On the profiles that you have public make sure you are following and engaging with people who are relevant to the industry that you want to enter. This will show your potential employer that you are up to date with industry news and standards.
Don’t
- Share Unprofessional Pictures – Photos that portray you in an unprofessional light aren’t wise to post on public profiles. Any pictures that involve drink or drugs have been actively proven to cause employers to reject your application before even meeting you.
- Share Political or Religious Rants – Everyone is entitled to their own religious and political beliefs, however sharing posts that could be deemed as offensive or harming will deter potential employers. For any public platforms, it is best to keep your religious and political stances neutral.
- Post Negative Things About Your Previous Place of Work – Even if you’ve had a negative experience in your previous place of work with your boss and/or colleagues, it is important that you don’t write slandering or negative posts. This has been proven to cause employers to reject candidates.
Used in the right way, your social media profiles can greatly enhance your chances of employability, just make sure you are showing any potential employers what you want them to see!
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