In today’s ever increasingly competitive job market, recruiters are utilizing all kinds of tools at their disposal to analyze applicants. Most recently, this has extended to social media. The 2015 Jobvite Recruiter Nation Survey shows over 93% of recruiters are now using social media to learn more about candidates during the hiring process.
Why social media? Well, it’s actually a smart move. Social media accounts provide new insight into who the candidates really are, beyond a resume or cover letter. The specific intel the recruiter is after greatly varies. Some are looking to verify information from your resume while others are analyzing how professional you appear. 21% admit that they are just looking for reasons not to hire you. Anything to narrow down the pile, right?
So what do you do?
Many job seekers are inclined to hide their online profiles, either by changing their names, privacy settings, or just deleting all accounts during the process to make it easier. Ironically, this can do more harm than good. 35% of employers are actually less likely to interview a candidate if they can’t find enough information about them online. A concealed or absent profile often appears as though you have something to hide and that is not the impression you want to give off.
Fear not! As daunting as making your profile public to employers might be, it can actually be really easy and help you to create a positive online brand presence. Here’s how:
Use your profile to stand out: Take a look at your accounts and try to visualize how you might appear to a stranger. You want to make sure that your profile represents who you really are, and that you show off your personality. Highlight your interest, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. Since you know employers are going to be looking at your online profiles, take advantage of this fact and ensure what they see represents your most positive image.
Delete problematic content: Research from CareerBuilder shows that the biggest offenses for employers include references to drinking and drugs, poor grammar, and discriminatory comments. It’s prudent to review your old posts and photos and discover what you may have forgotten about.
Luckily, these tasks don’t need to be time consuming and are very easy to accomplish if you use the right tools. Rep’nUp is an automatic online reputation management platform that can easily help you get rid of your embarrassing social media past. Currently running on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it automatically reviews your posts and images, and presents you with flagged problematic content. The best part is that it is totally free!
Whether you are actively looking for a job or plan to in the future. Keep in mind these tips to help you build a strong online brand presence and get that job!
Interested in seeing how you appear to recruiters? Find out here at www.repnup.com
