Without the right social media presence, you’re going to have difficulty landing job interviews. A recent survey from CareerBuilder reports that screening candidates based on social media is at an all-time high: 70 percent, up from 11 percent in 2006.
So where are employers looking and what exactly are they looking for? First, you should know that a third of companies say they have someone on staff whose job it is to research candidates online, the survey finds. This means employers see value in social recruiting. But even if they don’t have dedicated staff, recruiters and hiring managers are still turning to social media to check out candidates. They are also increasingly using one of the major search engines, such as Google, Bing or Yahoo, to search candidates by name to see what turns up.
[See: 10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job.]
What Are Employers Looking For?
When searching social networking sites, the employers surveyed reported four main things they are vigilant for:
— Information that supports a candidate’s qualifications.
— The professionalism of a candidate’s online persona.
— What other people are posting about candidates.
— A reason not to hire a candidate.
Can Employers Find This Information?
It may be easier than you think. More than 50 percent of employers reported finding information on social media profiles that resulted in not hiring a candidate. However, there’s some good news. Forty-four percent of employers stated they found information online that led them to hire candidates.
What Factors Lead to Rejection?
Here are the top 11 things employers said caused them to reject candidates, according to CareerBuilder:
— Provocative or inappropriate posts or information.
— Drinking or using drugs.
— Discriminatory comments related to race, gender or religion.
— Bad-mouthing their previous company or fellow employee.
— Lying about qualifications.
— Poor communication skills.
— Links to criminal behavior.
— Sharing confidential information from previous employers.
— Unprofessional screen name or handle.
— Lied about an absence.
— Posted too frequently.
Professionalism 101
Here’s what’s going on. Employers want to hire someone who has strong decision-making abilities, and good judgment and ethics. Would you want to work with someone who said unkind things about you, lied or re-shared information you told them in confidence? Look at the list above and think about how you would react if any of your co-workers ever behaved this way on the job. This is why employers have begun using social media as a recruiting tool. The things people post online shed light on their judgment and professionalism.
If this angers you to the point of wanting to delete your social media accounts, think twice. Without a social media presence, 57 percent of employers say they won’t even consider candidates.
You Aren’t Safe Once You Have a Job
If you think you can let your guard down once you’re employed, that’s not necessarily the case. CareerBuilder reports that half of the employers surveyed monitor the social media activities of current employees. This resulted in disciplinary action, either terminating or reprimanding an employee.
[See: 10 Things to Do Immediately After Being Fired.]
Be Socially Savvy
The best strategy is to be vigilant about what you post online and to monitor when others are tagging you in their posts.
Keep It G-Rated
Even though social norms have been shifting, it doesn’t mean everyone has embraced these changes. You don’t know how certain people feel about profanity, politics, drug use (even if legal in some states), religion and guns. Before you post or re-share anything on social media, ask yourself how your grandmother would react if she read the post.
[See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.]
Keep in Mind Who Can See What You Post
Besides the content you share online, also think about who can see it or share it. If you are connected to co-workers on social media, you don’t want to put them in an uncomfortable position by sharing information that is too personal or deceitful, such as photos of you living it up while you’re supposedly out of the office sick.
Post Work-Related Stuff
Instead of only sharing photos from your weekend adventures, include some work week shots, too. If you attended training, finished a big project or participated in a company sponsored event, mention it on social media.
As long as you are purposeful and aware of what you are sharing online, you shouldn’t have to worry about your candidacy for jobs or keeping a job you enjoy.
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How Social Media Can Help and Harm Your Job Search originally appeared on usnews.com
