In our increasingly connected universe (or is it now metaverse?), it can be worth pausing for a second or two to consider any potential ramifications before posting on social media – especially if you’re on the hunt for a new job.
According to a CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers check out applicants’ profiles as part of their screening process – and over half have rejected applicants because of what they found.
Yikes.
And whilst it is easy and natural to raise ethical objections to this potential practice – it’s worth noting this survey we saw on LinkedIn this week…
Bottom line? Less than 25% of potential employers would consider your social media channels as ‘off-limits’!
Here’s our top three tips for making your social media profiles safe for hiring…
1) Don’t nuke your social channels entirely
Whilst it’s easy to consider going completely ‘off-the-grid’ – about half of employers (47%) said they wouldn’t even call a person for an interview if they can’t find them online.
On this topic, DeeAnn Sims, founder of Dark Horse PR says… “Whether it’s intentional or not, not having a profile always feels like you have something to hide.”
2) Post appropriately for the Social Media Platform – and its privacy settings
Matt Erhard, of Summit Search Group says the three main platforms that most employers check are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Remember, LinkedIn and Twitter are very public – Facebook however, comes with some very good privacy settings – content you post can be given separately levels of access – so your adventures in Magaluf can be hidden from Grandma and Grandad just as easily as the wider public
3) Use your social media a reason to hire you
Don’t fall into the trap of anything you post could be bad – in fact, about a third of the employers surveyed, said they hired based on what they saw on social media.
So don’t be afraid – post about your passions and what inspires you.
If you’re a chef de partie for example – post about the latest recipe your trying and share that article you’re reading by the leading chef that inspire you!
Bonus section
Top ten posts to avoid…
Out of the employers surveyed over half (57%) said that they would not hire someone based on what they saw on social media – and here are the top ten reasons…
- Job candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information: 40%
- Job candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs: 36%
- Job candidate had discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion, etc.: 31%
- Job candidate was linked to criminal behaviour: 30%
- Job candidate lied about their qualifications: 27%
- Job candidate had poor communication skills: 27%
- Job candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employees: 25%
- Job candidate’s screen name was unprofessional: 22%
- Job candidate shared confidential information from previous employers: 20%
- Job candidate lied about an absence: 16%