Why Your Social Media Behaviors Could be Costing You a Job

Each day, an increasing number of recruiters rely on social media as a tool in the screening process when hiring an employee. This can be a great way for them to learn more about a candidate and who they are as a person. What shows more about your interests, hobbies, and personality than the accounts you share each of them on?

A few recruiters restrict themselves to screening a candidate's LinkedIn profile as the platform is where everyone is expected to display professionalism. But most go beyond just LinkedIn to dig deep and learn about their prospective employee.

It’s hard for a recruiter to fully understand a candidate from a simple piece of paper detailing their accomplishments. This is why social media as an HR tool has become so popular over the last decade.

As beneficial as social media can be in this process, it can also be a major factor in why some people don’t get the job they’re applying for. The major issue with this which many candidates forget to consider is that anything they have ever shared on these accounts will be visible to the recruiter. Oftentimes, employers find information on these accounts that causes them to choose a different candidate. Your digital dirt is likely to follow you for the rest of your life, which is why it’s important to get ahead of the issue by cleaning it up and preventing future issues from arising.


What are Recruiters Looking For?

When recruiters are searching through your social media profiles, there are several things that they will be looking for. Below is a few of those;

1. Bio/Introduction - What does your bio say about you?

Some bio of some social media users could hinder them from getting considered for a role in today's world of recruitment, while some could strengthen their chances. It's always imperative to ensure as a job/scholarship/grant seeker, that your social media bio is free of topics or issues that could be a mitigant to securing your dream job, scholarship or grant.


2. Usernames/Emails - Are your usernames and emails professional? If you are still using the same email address that you made when you were 12 years old, this may not be the best idea.


3. Photos/Videos - While media uploads may seem harmless, they are often one of the biggest reasons why some candidates are passed over for a job.


4. Likes/Shares - This one may be more surprising than others, but the content that you are liking and sharing on your profiles speaks volumes about you as a person as well.


5. Posts/Comments - Same goes for the posts that you are creating and sharing on your account's timeline. As well as posts by other users you drop your comments on.


6. Spelling/Grammar - This one is especially important if you will be applying for a job where writing is involved.


Background checks are usually done without the permission nor notice of candidates and this leaves a candidate unaware of when one is being conducted during the recruitment process. So it's advisable for a candidate to ensure all social media accounts are always free of topics or information that clearly states or suggests ideas contrary to a potential employer policies, stance or regulations.

-Anon


Cc lalasticlala Dominique Mynd44

Interesting piece... But you forgot to mention how connected are you!!