Tweet This
The popularity of Facebook among millennials was largely due to the ability to “creep” on the profile of people one searches for. It’s reasonable then to expect people to be searching for our online profiles on social media and to run a Google search to find information about us, especially when we are applying for jobs.
According to a CareerBuilder survey, 35% of employers are less likely to interview applicants they can’t find online. This number could be expected to grow as more business is conducted online. Why? Employers are finding that selecting the right candidate for a job is made easier by investigating more about them.
Red Flags For Hiring Managers
Most college graduates receive the advice to clean up their social media accounts when they start looking for a job, specifically ensuring any incriminating photos from wild nights in college are hidden or dissociated to them. While this is more of an obvious tip, it’s wise to follow suit.
Beyond the basics, it’s important for millennials to know exactly what hiring managers are watching out for when they search for candidates online.
A new study by GoDaddy revealed the top fives things recruiters look for when reviewing a candidate’s online presence. Not surprisingly, the list flagged the most common warnings job seekers are given about maintaining their online profiles.
- Discriminatory comments related to race, religion, gender, etc
- Professionalism
- Negative comments about a previous employer or co-worker
- Inappropriate photos or videos
- Drug use
“For the most part, candidates know the etiquette around a professional networking site, so they tend to stay away from posts that are highly controversial, too personal or do not serve the LinkedIn audience in any way,” said Haley D. Hensley, Human Resources Manager at DocuLynx, Inc., an information management solutions provider. “However, I have certainly seen candidates who do tend to treat LinkedIn more like a Facebook profile, and it did not serve them well.
“We nearly hired a candidate that we found through Indeed, but ultimately the hire did not work out,” continued Hensley. “We were connected with this candidate on LinkedIn, and a short time after we had interviewed them we noticed that this candidate posted a personal rant regarding an old colleague not returning a favor by helping them find a job. The post was highly unprofessional and reinforced our belief that we made the correct decision by not hiring them.”
As Hensley alluded to, using a platform like LinkedIn inappropriately, or for personal posts, can also make a candidate appear unfavorably. There are so many more factors to consider in reviewing one’s online presence than just inappropriate photos or controversial posts. Ultimately, positive or negative, a candidate’s true character and personality should align between an interview, a resume, and their online presence.
Further, assume that online activity that is irrelevant to a job or industry you are seeking can still have massive impact on a job search or current job. In fact, I’ve seen individuals nearly lose their job over social media posts that were written in a private group and were unrelated to the person’s career.
“My social media motto that I live by and believe everyone should live by is ‘Post as if the whole world can see it’,” said Hensley. “If you would be comfortable with anyone and everyone seeing what you’re posting, that’s a good indicator that you are staying within a reasonable boundary.”
Using Online Presence As An Advantage
Though there are red flags and warnings as mentioned above to be aware of when interacting online, candidates should be aware that there is major upside to hiring managers seeking out a candidate’s online profile.
According to the GoDaddy study, a third of hiring managers found information online that caused them to hire a candidate , including their background supporting their job qualifications, coming across as a good fit for company culture, and conveying a professional image online.
“As a job seeker, you should assume that companies are using your public-facing profiles as a precursor to a possible invitation into their selection process,” said Jim Hughes, Sr. Director of Human Resources at Red Lobster, a seafood restaurant company. “Although it’s not an official resume, your profile alludes to what your resume may entail, and makes a company curious to find out more about you. Like a resume, a profile is a combination of facts (where you’ve been and what you’ve done), opinions (what you feel you’re good at and meant to do), and elements that reveal your style and/or persona.”
A candidate’s online presence is really an extension of their resume. The benefit to this is that most hiring managers spend little time reading a resume in detail, but are more likely to be interested in what that candidate has written online, especially as it relates to that industry or previous jobs.
“Where Google research on a candidate can be positive is when the person is active and thoughtful in participating in relevant communities,” said Ryan Frailich, Founder of Frailich Consulting, a non-profit talent/HR consulting company. “For example, I was once hiring a director of college counseling, and found that person had been participating in a Twitter conversation with admissions counselors and academics in the field of college persistence for low income students. It was a huge boost to know that person was actively thinking about the issues on her own time and wasn't just applying for any role, but one she was clearly passionate about.”
In fact, savvy job seekers see their online presence as the starting point for a job search, rather than a final filter. In a way, this can also be referred to as one’s “personal brand”. Establishing yourself as an individual who cares about particular topics or ideas can open doors via online connections, rather than requiring the effort of applying for jobs.
Job seekers should always be aware of their online presence, whether through social media profiles or any news that returns on a Google search of their name. Negative associations should be avoided and removed where possible. More importantly though, job seekers should be looking to extend their resume in the form of their online communications and representation, making them a more desirable hire.
In fact, Frailich summarized it best when he said, “Everything you do online can help or harm your job search. You should be considering that before every single post, tweet, etc.”
Tell me what you think on Twitter.
