To Hire Or Not To Hire: Your Social Media Profiles May Make The Difference

You’re looking for a new job. You’ve put together a professional, well-structured resume that displays your education, experience and amazing skills. Your interview went very well; the interviewer seemed very receptive and you are confident you are a great fit for the position. In fact, you may be the perfect fit, however; if you are not careful, your social media profiles could very well sabotage your getting hired.

Employers today look to social media to sort of look behind the resume, seeking some details about you that may not listed on your resume or be brought out in an interview. According to CareerBuilder’s annual social recruitment study, “The number of employers taking to the web to research applicants has steadily risen over the past few years – from 39 percent of employers in 2013 to 43 percent last year, to this year’s 52 percent.” Additionally, the recruiting platform, Jobvite’s 2014 annual Social Recruiting Survey show results are as high as 93%. Getting that new job may depend on what they find.

You’re looking for a new job. You’ve put together a professional, well-structured resume that displays your education, experience and amazing skills. Your interview went very well; the interviewer seemed very receptive and you are confident you are a great fit for the position. In fact, you may be the perfect fit, however; if you are not careful, your social media profiles could very well sabotage your getting hired.

Employers today look to social media to sort of look behind the resume, seeking some details about you that may not listed on your resume or be brought out in an interview. According to CareerBuilder’s annual social recruitment study, “The number of employers taking to the web to research applicants has steadily risen over the past few years – from 39 percent of employers in 2013 to 43 percent last year, to this year’s 52 percent.” Additionally, the recruiting platform, Jobvite’s 2014 annual Social Recruiting Survey show results are as high as 93%. Getting that new job may depend on what they find.

So What Are They Looking For?

Some of the reasons employers are looking at social media sites are:

• 60% Are seeking back-up on your qualifications
• 56% Check to see if you have a professional online presence
• 37% Look for posts from other people post about you
• 21% Look for reasons NOT to hire you

Additionally, according to a 2015 survey from CareerBuilder of more than 2000 employers, 35 percent are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information online.

Career Builder’s survey showed 48% of respondents have found a reason NOT TO hire, the top reasons being:

• Posting of provocative photos
• Posting about drinking or drug use
• Post bad-mouthing a previous employer
• Poor communication skills
• Postings of discriminatory comments relative to race, gender, religion, etc.

Conversely, 32% of employers found reasons to hire candidates; the top answers were:

• Their social media supported their background and job qualifications
• A candidate’s personality came across as a good fit for their company culture
• Their social media portrayed a professional image
• The candidate showed great communications skills
• Candidate showed creativity

On The Job

Now that you’ve made it to that new job, don’t get too comfortable. Employers look at the social media of their employees as well as candidates. (Every company should have a policy regarding privacy and social media and it’s best to become familiar with your company’s policy as soon as possible.)

A 2014 Money Magazine article, “10 Social Media Blunders That Cost a Millennial a job – or worse,” lists 10 things in your social media that could cost you your job:

• Drinking in photos
• Complaining about a job
• Posting while during business hours
• Making fun of your boss/team
• Making fun of clients or donors
• Talking smack about a job before you’ve even accepted it
• Blowing your own cover; posting your image at the ball park while taking a sick day
• Revealing company secrets
• Sexual over sharing
• Posting something embarrassing on the company Twitter feed

Perhaps a good rule to follow is, don’t post anything you wouldn’t want a prospective or current to see. The job you save could be your own.

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