Everyone has a social media account in this day and age. What does yours say about you?
According to a CareerBuilder survey (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/number-of-employers-using-social-media-to-screen-candidates-at-all-time-high-finds-latest-careerbuilder-study-300474228.html), almost 70 percent of employers use social media to screen employees before hiring. So what does this mean for the average social media user? What are employers looking for?
Most employers first look to see if they can find you online. Some employers won’t even request an interview if they can’t find you on the web. So it’s important to give them something to work with- at the very least, having a LinkedIn profile would suffice as a professional and valid internet presence.
Employers also look for “red flags” on the applicant’s social media sites. Red flags can include inappropriate or provocative material, posting derogatory or racist comments, and even poor spelling and grammar.
How to make your online presence employer friendly? Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate material to post, keep your professional accounts open to the public, and keep your personal accounts secure and private.
What employers would like to see on an applicants’ profile would be nice presentable pictures of them, relatable content, and an overall sense of the applicant handling themselves online in a professional manner.
Take advantage of social media by putting your best foot forward to the public eye. A presentable social media presence can give you an extra advantage over other applicants to an employer.