Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes when you send your CV? The recruiting process varies by industry, company and even specific departments. However, there is one action that will be taken by most recruiters – the screening of social media accounts. According to Business News Daily, over 70% of employers today will use the internet to search for their potential employees before hiring them. So, if your profile is public, you might want to delete those old embarrassing tweets or Facebook posts…
The importance of a clear social media profile
What you post on social media has a serious significant impact on your professional life. Your potential boss will look at your account to get a glimpse of your personality and to see if you are the right fit for the company. Your account reflects your character, so make sure you share only what you want others to see, particularly as not all social networks have privacy options available. Actively being on the internet can give you the advantage of being exposed to all the digital and non-digital opportunities, however, those who have failed to have a strong, positive social media presence are more likely to receive fewer job offers, especially if applying to the tech industry.
Creating and maintaining a professional image on social media
You might have an outstanding CV, but if your latest public tweet doesn’t reflect that then the chances of you getting hired decrease dramatically. Joblift has come up with eight top tips on how to make your profile stand out amongst the rest.
- Professional image – choose an appropriate picture of yourself, and don’t leave it blank! Employers want to put a face to a name, so look your best! Avoid pictures of you with alcohol or at a party.
- Adjust your privacy settings – public profiles aren’t always the best idea, especially if you’re looking for a new job. Before you start reposting all of those cute dog videos, heighten those privacy settings!
- Be active – publish relevant content. Whether it’s retweeting other people’s content from your desired industry or simply updating your status, you want to come across as socially-aware, interested and knowledgable.
- Clean-up your connections – go through the people you follow and delete all the inactive or irrelevant followers.
- Grammar is the key – use the right spelling and grammar, and try to vary your vocabulary. You will look more professional, be taken more seriously, and your opinions will stand out.
- Make a good first impression – be honest and try to be the best you, you can be. Make sure your personality shines through, that way your potential employer is able to make sure that you will fit perfectly into their organisation. It will make everyone happier in the long run.
- Update your bio – make sure that your bio is up-to-date. Your preferences, location, and situation may change, and people may not consider you for a job if it isn’t clear that you are interested and available.
- Think before you post! – probably the most important tip! Remember, nothing can ever really be deleted, and something that you wrote two years ago could come back and hurt you. Every time you type something, think, if I didn’t know me and read this, what would I think? Remember your future employer doesn’t know you, and this might be their first impression, so make it count!
Social media you should consider having
Joblift has curated the top 4 social media platforms where networking has been made easy and are the most important when applying for your dream job.
- Facebook – the social media giant, with over 2.3 billion users, you are set to find relevant connections, content and news.
- Twitter – allows you to interact directly with your favourite brands or people who influence you. You are limited to a number of characters in your tweets, so make sure they all count.
- Instagram – a social media platform that can help you to show off your creative side. If you’re an aspiring photographer or artist, or looking to get into the creative field, creating a portfolio has been made easy.
- LinkedIn – it is the main professional platform, and most often the first point of call for employers. It has been made especially for job seekers and employers, where you can interact with recruiters, companies, up-to-date industry news, and can highlight all of your professional accomplishments. It is the best social media platform to use to network and impress employers.
So, if you’re looking for a new job, do yourself a favour and check your social media accounts to increase your chances of success. You could be just one tweet away from landing your perfect job!