Have a Positive Social Media Presence During a Job Search
Think back to all of the things you’ve ever posted (or been tagged in) on all the social media platforms across the years. There are probably a few things you’d rather not have a potential employer see, right? In this day and age, it’s important to present yourself in the best possible light not only on your resume, but also through your online presence. If you have a shady online presence, there is a good chance it will affect the way a potential employer looks at you. Alternatively, having a stunning online presence can bolster your image (see Method 2 for more information).
Contents
Steps
Managing Your Online Presence
- Search yourself. Go through as many online search engines as you can and type in your full name; you may be surprised by what pops up. Click on links that are related to you, and scroll through the images that are linked to your name.
- If you find something that paints a less than flattering picture of you, consider refining your privacy settings on your accounts so that the item you do not want displayed will be hidden.
- Make your social media profile a demonstration of your strengths, rather than a portrayal of your weaknesses. Look at each of your online media profiles. Scroll through and try to use an outsider’s perspective to consider what someone looking at your profile might see.
- Use your profile to show off your interests; ‘like’ pages that reflect your (reputable) interests.
- Put up photos of you pursuing those interests, such as hiking tall mountains, playing a sport, or writing.
- Filter your account. Part of making sure that your profile highlights your strengths involves getting rid of things that could highlight your weaknesses. Set up filter and privacy settings so that you have to approve anything that gets posted to your account, including articles, photos, and statuses.
- Stay updated on the privacy settings. Check the settings every month to make sure that some upgrade hasn’t left you (or your embarrassing photos) exposed.
- Delete (or untag) any photos or posts of you that you think could reflect poorly on your character. If possible, ask the person who posted the photo to take it down entirely so that it won’t exist anywhere on the internet.
- Try to minimize confusion when it comes to your name. There is a good chance that there is someone else in the world who has the same name as you. If your potential employer searches your name and ends up on someone else’s page, it could lead to a lot of confusion (and a lowered chance that you get the job).
- To minimize confusion, try to set up a specific URL that is registered to your name for your online profile.
- Restrict the amount of debates you get into on the internet. Social networking sites can be a veritable war zone when it comes to controversial topics. While it is perfectly fine to voice your opinions, you may want to consider doing so in person, rather than online. Try to limit the amount of debates or virtual fights you get into, and always try to be as respectful as possible. You wouldn’t want a potential employer to see a post where you call someone a nasty name for having a different opinion than you.
- If you do feel the need to post something that could potentially spark debate, or make your potential employer see you in a certain light, try to only post these things to your friends. However, do keep in mind that things can go viral in minutes, and there are always chances that someone will re-tweet or tag you, allowing more people access to the post.
- Keep your online networking to a minimum at your current job. While it is fine to ‘friend’ your coworkers, keep in mind that they are still working for your boss; if they see something that they think your boss should know about, they have the ability to tell him or her.
- Employers also have the means to monitor whether you are ‘online’ during office hours, especially if they are your ‘friend’ or ‘connection’ online.
- Try to avoid slang or disrespectful language when you do post something online. While you may think that only your friends see what you post, if a potential employer, or your current employer, does happen to see that you post something using slang or derogatory language could affect your job opportunities.
- Try to limit the number of pictures that show you with a drink in your hand, and do not post any photos of you participating in illegal drugs.
Using Social Media to Improve Your Job Search
- Set up a noteworthy LinkedIn profile. Most people who are looking for a job, or a potential employee, will spend at least a little bit of time on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a social media platform specifically designed for professional contacts and industry networking. Think of this as your online resume, pictures included.
- You can prepare a great profile by including all of your professional accomplishments and various skills. Keep your profile updated; whenever you work on a big project and become proficient in a new skill, put it up on LinkedIn.
- Ask your contacts for endorsements. Other users can ‘endorse’ you on LinkedIn; ask your elite contacts to give you a good word, and tell them that you will do the same (make sure you actually follow through with this offer).
- Keep your Twitter account fresh and lively. Twitter can be used to connect with people you don’t really know, but that you share common interests with. You can also ‘follow’ someone you find interesting. You can also find job listings on Twitter; companies will often put out a Tweet when they are looking for new employees to hire.
- Follow the companies that you would like to work for, and stay up to date on their posts.
- You can also use Twitter to create your own online presence; this is particularly helpful if you are trying to go into a field like Marketing or Communications. Post interesting (and appropriate) things and try to earn yourself a following.
- Cultivate your Facebook page. Use status updates to put the word out that you are looking for a new job. You can also use Facebook to post links to your blog, LinkedIn, or other social media platform. You can also ‘Like’ the pages of companies you hope to work for.
- If you post a link to your blog, consider writing it in a ‘Note’ rather than posting it as a status; when you create a note, it will stay on your page until you take it down, while statuses can get buried under other posts.
- Start a blog or website to show off your work. You can create a website or a blog to act as an online portfolio. Make your website look as professional as possible, and send a link to it when you are applying for jobs (even if they don’t ask you to do so).
- Creating a website specifically for the product you make or the thing you create will show potential employers your abilities, while also demonstrating that you are passionate about what you do.
- Make sure that your blog or website has your name attached to it so that it comes up if your potential employer runs a search of your name on Google or through another online search engine.
Tips
- Create content relevant to how you want to portray yourself to the world and your employers.
- Post content that is intelligent as well as interesting, post things that are non-controversial and avoid anything that you would not want your current and future employers to see.
