Check Your Social Media Settings
With more and more employers screening candidates via their social media accounts, it’s really important to check yours looks professional when you are job hunting. Recruiting managers don’t want to see negative comments about your current employers, political arguments or photos that show you in a poor light and will often make a hiring decision based on what they see. If they can see you are posting onto your social media accounts during work hours they’ll assume the worst and that you are not focused on your job and are easily distracted.
There is no need to delete your social media accounts when you are job searching. The key is drawing a line between your professional and personal personas. Check your privacy settings to make sure only the people you want to can see your account and review any posts your friends might tag you in. Make sure your profile picture is one you are happy for all to see as this is still usually visible to everyone.
What Does Google Say?
Google yourself and your email address to see what comes up – you might be surprised. You’ll find out what posts and photos are out there that an employer can link back to you when they are making a decision on whether you could be the right person for the job. Remember that social media has been around for a long time and you may have made those comments years ago but they could be out there for all to see. It would be a shame for you to lose out on your ideal job because of something you made comment on while still at college or because of a drunken photo of you taken by a friend on a night out!
The Right Social Media Presence
Saying that, most employers will expect you to have some social media presence, so a LinkedIn or twitter profile is a good way of showing your professional side. You can use these 2 social media platforms to follow companies you are interested in working for and to research them before your interview. Make sure your LinkedIn profile matches up to your CV and that your profile picture is a professional headshot. Sharing the right types of posts, joining relevant groups and making sensible comments will all help to make sure your make the right impression.
If you need any advice on how to make sure your social media profile gives the right impression whilst you are looking for a new job then give one of the team at Personnel Placements Recruitment Agency a call.
