They’re often looking for reasons to make a job offer, and job hunters can use social media to stand out. The fact that employers’ searches for social media accounts have increased by 500% in the last decade is no accident. There’s a wealth of information at the fingertips of many of these employers and job seekers can use their social profiles to stand out. Posting about passions related to the line of work, times someone has volunteered, or even recent donations to causes one may be passionate about can help job seekers
But posts can also stand out in a negative light. Referencing illegal drugs or sexual posts are some of the worst things job seekers can do. Poor spelling, profanity, discriminatory comments, or bad reviews of previous co-workers or places of employment are also bad ideas. This doesn’t mean to hide everything altogether. 41% of hiring managers are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information about that person online.
Changes to settings and managing what your friends post on your profiles or about you are helpful ways to avoid social media costing you a dream job. Staying active on social media and posting about things related to a job you’d love can also help. Social media shouldn’t be feared in the job hunt, and, if used appropriately, can help you stand out for your next job opportunity.
Job Searching and Social Media: How Social Media Can Make or Break a Job Search
Job searching and social media are a perfect pair for success or failure. Prospective employees can utilize social media to come across as a great fit for a company or social media can hurt the chances of a prospective employee, depending on what job recruiters find on social media profiles.
Employers are searching social sites and what they find can impact their perspective of potential and current employees.
Businesses Use Social Media for Various Reasons
Businesses utilize social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn extensively to recruit talented employees.
- 93% of businesses keep tabs on potential candidates through LinkedIn
- 51% of businesses generate employee referrals through Facebook
- 18% of businesses screen candidates on Twitter before the interview
LinkedIn’s career-focused interaction makes it the most popular social network for employers keeping tabs on candidates. Facebook and Twitter are also utilized during most aspects of the hiring process, but Facebook is utilized much more than Twitter.
Social Media Used Most in the IT Industry
The Information Technology industry is the most likely to check social networks to research applicants. If your teen plans to enter the IT industry, they should consider high privacy settings on their social media accounts. Other industries most likely to use social networks to screen employees include:
- 76% of IT companies
- 65% of Sales companies
- 61% of Financial Services companies
- 59% of Health Care Companies
- 59% of Retail companies
- 56% of Manufacturing companies
- 55% of Professional and business services companies
The retail industry figures are important to note as 21.7% of teen summer jobs fall in that category. Additionally, 32.2% of teen summer jobs are in accommodation and food services.
What Sites Do Recruiters Search?
When used appropriately, social media can help your teen land a job. There are numerous ways teens can capitalize on a recruiter’s presence on social media. Again, LinkedIn leads the way:
- 94% of recruiters search LinkedIn for candidates
- 66% of recruiters search Facebook for candidates
- 52% of recruiters search Twitter for candidates
When job recruiters see experiences and qualifications they like on social media, they may offer a position through that same social media platform.
- 79% of recruiters hire through LinkedIn
- 26% of recruiters hire through Facebook
- 14% of recruiters hire through Twitter
Inform your teens to understand that what they post can both qualify and disqualify them for a position.
What Do Job Recruiters Search For?
What stands out most to job recruiters? Recruiters generally aren’t searching for reasons not to hire someone; conversely, recruiters are looking for reasons to hire employees. Recruiters search for professional experience, length of professional tenure, industry-related posts, mutual connections, examples of previous work, and cultural fit.
- 44% check the candidate’s background information
- 44% check that a candidate conveys a professional image
- 43% check that a candidate fits the company’s culture
- 40% check that a candidate is well-rounded and shows a wide variety of interests
- 36% check the candidate’s communication skills
Also worth noting:
- 65% of recruiters have reconsidered hiring a candidate after seeing on their social profile that they volunteered or donated to charity.
Be sure your teen’s social profiles are cohesive with resumes and job applications and that profile pictures convey a professional image. If there are conversations that show weak communication skills, delete them or set your privacy so others can’t see.
7 Costly Social Media Mistakes
While employers are looking for positives on social media, certain posts stand out to potential employers. The following often result in a candidate being reconsidered for a position.
1. Drug References
83% of job recruiters say any sort of reference to illegal drugs is “the worst thing you can do.”
2. Sexual Posts
70% of recruiters say they count sexually inappropriate posts against a candidate.
3. Profanity
63% of the time, recruiters reconsider a candidate when they come across social media accounts filled with profanity.
4. Racist or Sexist Posts
33% of the time candidates are turned down when discriminatory remarks related to race, religion, or gender are found on their social media accounts.
5. Aggressive or Derogatory Remarks About the Previous Employer
31% of the time talking poorly about a previous company or fellow employees results in dismissal from candidacy.
6. Poor Communication Skills
29% of the time job recruiters turn down applicants who display poor communication skills such as broken language or poor punctuation.
7. Absence of an Online Presence
41% of job recruiters are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find any information about that person. This lesson is clear. Tell your teen to have fun with social media respectfully and wisely.
Employers Check Employee’s Social Media Accounts
Employers don’t stop watching individuals on social media after hiring them.
- 41% of employers use social networking to research current employees
- 32% use search engines to check up on current employees
- 26% of employees have found content online that caused them to reprimand or fire an employee
5 Job Searching and Social Media Tips
Teens should manage their social media image to stand out to employers:
1. Scrub personal social media profiles
Inspect social profiles for questionable images or posts and delete anything that could negatively influence a recruiter or employer.
2. Monitor what friends say
Have your teen limit their friend’s ability to tag or post on their profile. If friends don’t respect your teen’s privacy and post negative things, your teen should consider blocking them.
3. Fine-tune privacy settings
Have your teen make accounts as private as possible. Facebook has a handy tool that allows users to view their profiles as the public would. Tell them to consider: Is my profile representative of who I am?
4. Create professional accounts
Have your teen create professional accounts. They could create a professional Twitter, Facebook, and/or Instagram, using them as mediums to talk about, and engage in, the industry they’d like to enter.
5. Be active with social media accounts
Your teen should commit to staying active on professional-style accounts. Inconsistencies such as not posting for an extended time may come off as suspicious.
Social Media for the Win!
Successfully managing social media profiles is a valuable tool for teens. It allows them to focus on future opportunities without worrying that something from their past might be used against them when they’re searching for jobs or up for a big promotion. Social media is a powerful tool and growing exponentially. With such an opportunity, it’s a waste not to use it to benefit your future.
Article Written by Paul Malcore | Rawhide
