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Social Networking Sites: The Dangers of Job Searching

Social Networking Sites: The Dangers of Job Searching

By: Christina Roman, Intern

When you sit at your computer what is the first thing you do? You check all of your social networking site accounts.  Almost everyone has a Facebook or a Twitter account. People are constantly checking for status updates, notifications, new friend requests, if their favorite store is having a sale or if a company they’re following has new updates. Let’s face it, social media is every where and no one can escape it. Now that smart phones are more common, social media is available right at your fingertips.

 

As someone who has been job searching for a little over a year now I’ve learned a few tips and tricks when it comes to hiding my identity and making sure I can make the best impression possible. Companies are going to assume you have a networking site account. Sometimes they don’t have to assume; many people are listing their accounts right on their resume. Social Media is an excellent way to build your brand. The problem is many people over share their information. Social Media is a way to share your personal life; pictures, favorite songs, quotes, your current mood and so much more. Many people don’t realize that they run the risk of what they put out there and how it can portray them in a negative light.

The best thing for a person currently seeking employment to do is to Google themselves. See what pops up and nip it in the bud. Through personal experience, none of my personal networking site accounts can be found through my real name. This is a lot easier then weeding through my past posts to clean out anything taboo that could cost me a job. Keep it secret. If you need to have a social media site account for your field the best advice would be to create one that is related to that field. For example; if you are trying to break into the world of fashion; create a blog geared towards that field. From there you can grow and create several networking sites related to fashion and create your brand in a positive way. At the same time employers can see what you’re capable of as well.

If you are interested in seeing the statistics of employers reactions to social media posts on personal accounts check out this one from PRDaily; 5 Type Of Social Media Posts that Recruiters Hate. It’s an interesting article that shows the reactions future employers have when coming across potential hires profiles and what to avoid. Remember if you’re having second thoughts about a post you’re about to make, maybe you shouldn’t post it.

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