As we kick off “Know Your Social Media” we first want to look at the importance of social media in the work place. As you are adding that photo of you Saturday night, is that going to help you at your interview Monday morning? Can you explain that picture and the circumstances to your future employeer? If you are asking yourself if you can explain it, you may not want to post it. This post does not single out one platform over another, but instead should be viewed as cations for all platforms. You may think that Facebook photo isn’t going to leave your page, but the truth is nothing is truly private on the internet. The internet allows for moments of weakness to never leave you.
According to Jobvite, there may be more than one reason you don’t want to tweet, post, or share on your social media account. As of their report from 2015, “Only 4% of recruiters DON’T use social media in the recruiting process. 4% aren’t sure,” but 92% of recruiters us social media in their recruitment process. That means nine times out of ten, your social media accounts are going to be viewed alongside your job application.
So when current and future employers look at your social media accounts, what are they really looking for? They look at the number of selfies you have and the content that you are posting and tweeting. Jobvite found in their 2014 Social Recruiting Survey That “55% of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on their social profile, with 61% of those reconsiderations being negative.”
When you post, tweet, share, retweet check content! Does it contain or reference profanity, spelling/grammar mistakes, reference drugs (legal or illegal), sexual content, alcohol, or guns? If you answered yes to anything listed above, think twice before displaying this type of content on your social media accounts! This is considered to be negative content and doesn’t belong on your profiles! Please remember, if you’re underage, you probably shouldn’t be posing pictures of you having a drink with your friends. Employers can do math and check your ages. Also, think about the number of selfies that you are sharing. Jobvite found that 72% of recruiters very them neutrally, but there are 25% of recruiters that view selfies negatively.
Now after reading all of these depressing facts about social media and job hunting, you may be thinking about deleting or deactivating your social media account(s). You probably don’t want to do that if you’re considering a job in communications or marketing. Jobvite found that “33% of those in this field viewed limited social media presence as a negative.” The key to mastering social media is being aware of what you post when you post and how much you post.
Check back next week for more “Know Your Social Media.”
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