Can Social Media Help You Get A Job?
Did you know that over 92% of businesses use social media when recruiting new members of staff? As social media has become more and more popular over the years, those who have these platforms are becoming more aware of what information on their profiles are visible to everyone. However, it’s not only LinkedIn that employers will look at – Facebook and Instagram are in the runnings as well!
When they do this, it gives them an idea of what their candidate is really like behind the resume. Hence why more than 54% of employers have found something on the candidate’s social media that has caused them not to hire them. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an online presence – little is better than nothing. So what can you do, and how can your social media profiles actually help you to get a job?
What Not To Do
Despite what has been said over the years, a lot of employers are actually looking at their candidate’s social media profiles to find reasons to hire them. So, deleting any social media you have to avoid an employer finding out something embarrassing about you is more than likely to backfire. 57% of employers are unlikely to hire someone if they can’t find any of their social media platforms.
Whilst they’re not actively searching for anything negative on your social media, that doesn’t mean they won’t find it. Employers are unlikely you hire you if they can see the following from your social media platforms:
- Inappropriate photos and videos
- Drug use
- Unprofessional screen names
- Bad mouthing or sharing confidential information from previous employers
- Discrimination
- Criminal behaviour
Obviously, keep your personality shining through on your profile (who doesn’t enjoy the odd drink?), but if your Twitter banner is showing you streaking on a beach from last year’s holiday to Ibiza, consider cleaning that up. Social media is still ‘social’ media after all – it’s the perfect way to connect with family and friends, especially those of a long distance. Just make sure your privacy settings are correct!
What To Do
If you’re looking for a job, you should be sure to follow prospective companies on social media to stay up to date with new job opportunities. This way, you can also stay up to date with any updates or developments within the company. Then if it ever comes to meeting this employer, the things you’ve kept up to date with can really play to your advantage. For example, if the company has just launched a new product or service, you can prove that you have a genuine interest in it by discussing it with them.
As we mentioned at the beginning, it’s not just LinkedIn that you can use to your advantage. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter can showcase your skills too. Taking Assessing as an example; assuming that once your prospective employer has seen your application, they will Google your name before the interview. Low and behold, they can see from any given platform that you’re following relevant companies, interacting with, and keeping up to date with the industry. Now they will be able to see that you do have a genuine interest in assessing.
Keep an eye out for real-world events made known on social media. Networking events are great opportunities to tighten those professional online connections. Plus, when you meet new people at these events, give them an add on LinkedIn; it’s good to keep your professional contacts in one place. LinkedIn is the platform that has the highest chance of a job opportunity being posted, you never know what you might stumble across!
One Last Word of Advice…
Remember, once you get that job that doesn’t mean you can slack on your online presence. Keep it as a positive image, as employers can just as easily view your social media platforms. 34% of employers have found content on their employee’s profiles that have resulted in a disciplinary, or in worst case scenarios, losing their job. So – keep it clean! Good Luck!