We have all heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” But is that true? Especially when it comes to your job search? As social media becomes more and more popular, employers notice what potential employees post online.
Those posts could cost you the job you want if you’re not careful. Most of us will have some form of social disaster via Facebook or Twitter, such as publishing an angry update that we later regret or being tagged in a compromising photo. It does happen.
Is Social Media Hurting Your Career Search
Know Your Security Settings
Whether you’re using social media for personal or professional reasons, it’s essential to know your security settings and how to protect your privacy. For example, you can control who can see your profile and how much information is visible on LinkedIn.
You can also receive email notifications when someone views your profile or sends you a message. On Facebook, you can decide who sees your posts and which friends can post on your timeline. You can also limit the audience for each post.
For example, if you’re looking for a job and don’t want your current employer to know about it, you can share the post with your friends instead of making it public. Twitter is another social media platform that offers flexibility regarding privacy settings.
Post a Professional Profile Picture
When looking for a job, the little things can make a big difference. One of those things is your profile picture. A professional profile picture shows that you’re serious about your career search. It also makes you more visible to potential employers and networking contacts. Therefore, your profile picture should be recent, high quality, and accurate.
You may want to consider using a professional photographer or a service like LinkedIn’s Profile Photo Service. If you’re unsure what to wear in your profile picture, think about dressing in business attire or something that represents your industry or profession. Whatever you do, avoid using vacation shots, party photos, or pictures with friends and family. And never use a selfie!
Watch Your Updates
With technology becoming more and more popular in our society, it’s no wonder that social media is one of the most widely used applications. But unfortunately, many job seekers are making the mistake of misusing their social media accounts while looking for a job.
According to a study done by Jobvite, 93 percent of recruiters use or plan to use social media in their hiring process. However, if you’re not taking care of what you post online, you’re putting your job search at risk.
Recruiters are often turned off by inappropriate content on social media, such as posts about drinking or partying, not professional photos, and comments that could be seen as negative or unprofessional. It’s important to remember that anything you post online is permanent and can be seen by anyone, including potential employers.
Live Two Lives
Social media has made it easier for us to stay connected with friends and family in many ways. But, when it comes to our job search, is social media hurting our chances?
There’s no denying that social media can be an excellent tool for networking. It allows you to connect with potential employers, colleagues, and other professionals in your field. However, social media can also hurt your career search when misused.
For example, suppose you post negative comments about your previous employer or share photos of yourself partying at a nightclub. In that case, you could damage your reputation and make it harder for potential employers to trust you.
If you’re not careful about the information you share online, you could inadvertently give away confidential information about yourself or your company.
Choose Your Friends Wisely
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter make it easier than ever for employers to research potential employees. This means that you need to be careful about the online people you associate with. If your profile is littered with photos of you partying or doing drugs, it won’t be easy to convince a potential employer that you’re responsible and professional.
It’s also important to be aware of the things you post online. For example, if you make negative comments about your previous employer, a potential employer may think that you’re not a team player. Even if you don’t have any questionable content on your social media profiles, it’s still important to know what employers can see. Ensure that your profile is private and avoid posting anything that could potentially harm your career prospects.
Again, Watch Your Updates
It’s important to be mindful of the updates you post on social media, as they can impact your job search. In addition, recruiters and hiring managers are increasingly using social media to screen candidates, so it’s essential to make sure your profile is polished and professional.
Posts about your weekend bender or angry rants about your boss can give the impression that you’re not responsible or mature enough for the job. Instead, focus on posting positive, upbeat updates that reflect well on you. Keep in mind that social media is public, so anyone can see anything you post, including potential employers. So be thoughtful about what you share online, and think before posting.
Don’t Trash Your Boss or Coworkers Online.
In this digital age, it’s easy to share our thoughts and feelings with the world. And for many of us, social media is a daily habit. But what happens when we post something negative about our boss or coworkers online?
There’s a good chance that we could get ourselves in trouble. Recent studies have shown that nearly 70% of employers check social media accounts to see if potential employees are a good fit.
So, if we’re caught posting negative comments about our current or previous jobs, it could damage our chances of getting hired somewhere else. Even if we’re not looking for a new job, it’s still important to be careful about what we post online. Our bosses and coworkers could easily find our posts, and they may not be happy with the things we say about them.
Be Your Editor
Social media has become an integral part of our lives. We use it to stay connected with friends and family, share news and information, and even promote our businesses. But when it comes to your career search, social media can hurt your chances of landing a job.
Many employers now routinely check social media profiles as part of the hiring process. They want to see if you’re a good fit for the company culture and whether you have any red flags that could disqualify you from the job. So if you’re not careful, your social media posts could cost you the job opportunity of your dreams.
Here are some tips for using social media safely during your job search:
- First, be aware of what you post. Remember that anything you post on social media is public information and can be accessed by anyone, including potential employers.
- If you’re planning on applying for a job, you should also be aware that all of your social media posts will show up in the background check portion of your application.
- Follow the rules and regulations.
