A report released in 2016 by Jobvite explains how recruiters and hiring managers are using Social Media as a vital part of their vetting process. So, it is crucial that your Social Media presence is amazing when you are looking for a new job.
This all boils down to the question:
How good is your Personal Brand?
You need to see yourself as a “brand” on social media if you plan to be taken seriously when applying for roles and forging your career. Please understand that everything you post online can and may be there forever if you are not careful!
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Audit all your personal social media channels
Spend at least one evening reviewing all your social media channels to make sure that you are presenting yourself in the correct image.
Make sure you show yourself in a professional and personal manner. Recruiters are going to be able to see if you are pushing an image that doesn’t fully represent yourself.
Be genuine, show your interests and make sure there are no overly damaging images or posts on any of your social media channels.
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Set a sensible profile picture
We all own a smartphone nowadays, so there are no excuses when it comes to having a professional looking image as your profile picture.
Also, avoid including alcohol or visibly intoxicated friends in your profile pictures. We all base our opinions on first impressions, so when a recruiter looks at your profile, you want them to see the type of person that you are and how you will represent their company.
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Make sure you show your real personality
You say one thing on your CV about your interests, but your personal social media channels show something else…
This will show to your prospective employer that you cannot be trusted as you have clearly shown that you have lied on your CV.
Make sure both your CV and your social profile correspond. If you say one thing in your personal statement about the person that you are, then ensure that it is similar to what you are posting about online.
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The content you shouldn’t be posting
I’m sure that you are aware of this and it is simple but so many people seem to forget pretty much everything that you share online can be seen by everyone.
50% of recruiters will reject a candidate if they are posting inappropriate content online and 48% will reject candidates if they are seen to be sharing information about drinking or drugs.
Another big no, no is bad mouthing a previous employer. 33% of employers would reject an applicant if they were bad-mouthing a previous employer online.
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Set your privacy settings on your social media channels
This will benefit you on both a personal level and professional level, make sure you check your privacy settings online.
You never know who is looking at your profiles, it will pay to check.
Those are our tips for making sure your social media profiles are recruitment ready, we aim to help candidates throughout every stage of the recruitment process.
If you would like to speak to one of our recruiters then please register here.
