Social Media and Employment

Many people think of their social media as a reflection of who they are. That is true, but what people don't realize is how much of themselves is out there for others to review. In the past, people put their best foot forward to their employers. There was little concern about their personal life coming to light, unless they brought their issues to work or got in trouble with the law. Today, the situation is completely different. Employees who are active in social media can expect their life to be laid bare to their current and potential employers. They must take care when posting things to the internet, and should avoid some key behaviors.

Red Flags
Recruiters specifically look for red flags that will disqualify a candidate from employment. Social media websites such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and others are reviewed. Many people have strict privacy settings; that's a good thing. It's an indication that the candidate does not carelessly throw their information onto the internet. It's becoming rare, and is illegal in some places, but potential employers sometimes request viewing access to candidates' social media pages. For that reason, even if your page is private, you should be cautious what you post and scrub it regularly.

Actual disqualifiers are generally items which would cast doubt on the employee's ability to perform their jobs, or something that would discredit or embarrass their employer. For example, many college graduates are surprised to discover that the pictures of themselves doing a keg stand prevented them from being hired at a firm. Overt, aggressive political or social stances can also be a negative. Nobody faults someone for having opinions, but those which are extreme or very loudly expressed can indicate that a candidate can't leave their politics out of the workplace where they don't belong. Offensive language especially that of a harassing nature, is an automatic disqualifier. A good rule of thumb is to look at a social media page and read through it. Would you show your boss your page and read your posts to him? If you feel that he may be offended, you should remove those posts immediately and refrain from that type of online behavior in the future.
Scrubbing
If you realize that your social media may be potentially hazardous to your employment, you should "scrub" those pages. First, engage your privacy settings to the maximum level. On Facebook, this means preventing non-friends from viewing your profile. Ensure that your posts are only viewable by friends. For Twitter and other microblogging sites, lock your profile and ensure that you have to approve followers. Next, start scrolling through your posts, reading them for offensive or immature content. If in doubt, delete it. Remember that comments made on your posts are relevant as well. Next, go through your picture albums. If you can't bring yourself to delete the pictures, save them to your computer or an external drive. Generally speaking, social pictures are fine, but if most of your pictures show you drinking or engaging in dangerous behavior, you should remove those pictures. Also, ensure your profile and cover photos are appropriate. You should feel free to express yourself, but you should also appear mature. A good picture might be you participating in a sport, whereas a bad picture would be one in which you are inebriated or holding an alcoholic drink.

Take Social Media Seriously
You should get into the habit of taking your posts seriously. Before you post, tweet, or otherwise share something, consider how a potential employer would take it. Are you sure that complaint about the DMV worker is necessary? Does it make you look like the kind of person who would harass a secretary if you felt it was justified? Don't just look through your own lens, but that of an older manager who is concerned with the business, not your personal feelings. Today, the hiring process is a whole-person concept. You are being hired not just for your work performance, but the type of person you are. Make sure that person is well represented online.

If you're seeking a job in the finance industry, contact the experienced recruiters at Willis Consulting, Inc. They have relationships with the best financial institutions in the US and know about the top jobs available. Visit the Job Opportunities page on the website for more information. http://www.willis-consulting.com.

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