Most people have some kind of online profile, and with the recent popularity of platforms like Facebook and Twitter it’s difficult to imagine a world without them. But it’s not just our friends and family that read what we have to say and view our pictures.
Most employers will now search online for any information they can find about a potential candidate. The perception you give can and will make a difference to their decision. A CV will not provide an employer any indication of your personality, but your Instagram will.
This is why you should check your social media profiles before applying for a job. Now you know why you need to social media, here’s how…
Give yourself a Google
Start by searching for your details to see what comes up. In most cases you will probably either find nothing, or you’ll stumble across your social media accounts. This is exactly what the employer will do when they see your name at the top of your CV.
Whatever comes up, try to put yourself in the mind of the employer. What would they think about you when they come across your Facebook profile? Would you fit into the company’s culture?
Check all your current profiles
Now that you’ve searched for your details on Google it’s time to give your online profiles a sweep. You are basically looking for anything that would represent you in a bad light. For example, lots of pictures of you falling around drunk after a heavy night out.
Your personality is under the spotlight – are you a family person or a party goer?
Anything that could project the wrong image should be considered for deletion, or it may be easier to make your profile private. If however you are confident your profiles will project the right image, then it could work in your favour if you leave them open to the public.
Although it’s completely up to you what you decide to post on social media, you should always consider how that will come across to an employer. Your political or religious views may be quite controversial, and although they may not be related in anyway to your career, it could still influence an employer.
Not everyone shares your views, and if you’re an opinionated person and regularly comment on social media and forums, you may want to vet each post to make sure they are viewable by an employer.