Social Media expert, Patricia Singer, of Follow Me Social Media Consulting, shares some helpful advice when posting online that can greatly impact your next job hunt.
More and more we are hearing about how employers and not hiring people based upon information and pictures they have seen on the Internet. You know those pictures…from that party...with those crazy people. Or, how about that Twitter rampage you went on about a political figure or religious belief?
Social media is now one of the sources employers are checking when it comes to vetting a prospective employee. Your resume and references are not the only information on you. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites are showing employers all they need to know about you. It is almost a version of “reading between the lines” of your resume.
You need to be very careful about who you connect with and what you share on social media. You also need to be careful about what your friends and acquaintances are saying about you. You may interview like a champ, but if your online presence speaks differently about you, it could be the thing that either makes or breaks your job search.
Recently, The New York Times reported about a Texas teen who was fired from a pizza shop because she used profanity on Twitter when complaining about her new job. Now, being fired as a teen from a pizza place is not a big deal, right? However, now The New York Times has written an article about her! How long do you think THAT will stay with her?
Posting pictures of partying all weekend and bragging about how late you were out and how much you drank and then calling in “sick” on Monday will also not fare well with your employer. Oh! You’re not friends with your employer on Facebook or Instagram? Well, a bunch of people you know and/or follow may be! One share or re-tweet could land you in hot water!
Please be careful with your online presence. Every so often do a Google search on yourself and see what turns up. On social media sites, think before you post. Would you want your Grandmother to know or see that? If the answer is “no,” then don’t post it. Don’t share it with the world. We are all watching!
First published in our March 2015 IT Radix Resource newsletter
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