If you think potential employers won’t bother to look at your social media channels, you are wrong. Employers like to gather as much information about candidates as possible and nowadays that extends beyond the professional sphere and into the personal one. While you may not have done anything as silly as complain about your boss in a public post, it can be hard to keep track of all the photos, comments and posts that you might have been tagged in.
So, all you need to do is make all your social accounts private right?
While blocking all access to your social media accounts is not a bad solution, there is a better one. Just as a negative social media profile can be detrimental to your job prospects, a positive one can be beneficial.
Why A Social Media Cleanse Matters
Employers research candidates online to learn more about them. They want to determine whether candidates know how to conduct themselves in a professional manner online and that they will fit into the company culture.
Imagine the following scenario. You apply for a job. You tick all the boxes – strong resume, impressive cover letter and relevant work experience – but your application stalls when your potential employer finds a post you shared on Facebook years ago complaining about your job.
Conversely, maybe your application isn’t quite as strong as some other candidates, but your social media profile features informative articles, images of you volunteering in a related industry or travelling.
How To Clean Up Your Social Media
Knowing that your potential employer will be looking at your social media profile means you can use it to your advantage.
The best way to use your social media to make a good impression is to put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer. What do you think they would want to see? Would you employ yourself based on your current profile?
Start with these ideas:
- Go through each social media channel and tidy up dodgy photos and negative content.
- Think about the industry you are working in or want to work in. What would make your profile stand out?
- Make sure all your content says something positive about you and change settings to private where appropriate.
- Set an appropriate profile picture for all channels.
- Follow relevant companies and industry-specific profiles and share their content.
Ultimately, it’s not worth losing a job offer over a silly post or photo, so it’s worth investing the time to cleanse your social media accounts and present the best possible version of yourself. And don’t forget all those people who have lost their jobs over Facebook posts!
On Line Recruitment is here to help with all your recruitment needs. We offer a full range of services including labour hire, permanent placements and part-time positions. Send us an enquiry to discover how we can help your business.
