What Does Your Social Media Profile Say About You?
April 29th, 2013Not that long ago, the four steps to apply for a job went something like this:
- Completed application; check.
- Sent cover letter; check
- Attached resume; check
- Submitted references; check
Today, there’s fifth step; cleaning up your social media profile(s). Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes Staff writer recently published an article on ‘How social media can help (or hurt) you in your job search’. In it, she references a survey that CareerBuilder.com did last year that asked 2,303 hiring managers and human resource staff if, and how, and why they incorporate social media into their hiring process.
The survey revealed that 37% of employers use social networks to screen potential job candidates. This translates to about two in five companies who browse your social media profiles to evaluate your character and personality. Some even base their hiring decision on what they find.
So, if you’re among the 89% of job seekers that use social networking sites, you’ll want to be careful. Rosemary Haefner, vice president of HR at CareerBuilder recommends, “If you choose to share content publicly on social media, make sure it’s working to your advantage. Take down or secure anything that could potentially be viewed by an employer as unprofessional and share content that highlights your accomplishments and qualifications in a positive way.”
Further, Brad Schepp, co-author of How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ adds, “Make sure any profiles you write are free of typos, the information is coherent and applicable to your industry [or job you’re trying to land], and your photos present you in a favorable light. You can verify the applicability of the information by checking profiles of others in the same field.”
So, you might want to replace that photo of you playing beer pong with something more appropriate and copy and paste your profile to Word and run it through spell check. Remember, your online persona is an extension of your in-person persona. Think about it. If the shoe were on the other foot, would you hire someone like yourself after reading your online profile(s)? If the answer is ‘no’, you’ve got some clean up to do.
About ABR
ABR Employment Services provides employment opportunities to job seekers and staffing solutions to employers throughout Wisconsin and in Winona, MN. ABR provides temporary, try-before-hire and direct hire job opportunities in: customer service, data entry, receptionist, office assistant, administrative assistant, assembly, packaging, machine operator, warehouse, janitorial, CNC, welder, forklift, maintenance, and call center. Connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn for job seeking tips and advice.