Over the past decade, the role of social media in our society has transitioned from a resource for occasional socializing to an must-have method of keeping in touch with friends and the latest information in our lives. Our Facebook profiles, twitter accounts, and other miscellaneous social media tools have become rather accurate reflections of our identities.
With so much personal information at an employer's disposal, it's only natural for a supervisor who may hire you to look you up on Facebook or Instagram to see if you're a worthy hire. In fact, according to a recent survey, 45% of employers are using social media to check out potential employees. That is why it is important to make sure that the information you present online is professional and responsible. Savvy Student has put together a list of the 7 biggest social media no-nos that turn off potential employers.
Here's the breakdown of these seven contributors to supervisor dissatisfaction:
With so much personal information at an employer's disposal, it's only natural for a supervisor who may hire you to look you up on Facebook or Instagram to see if you're a worthy hire. In fact, according to a recent survey, 45% of employers are using social media to check out potential employees. That is why it is important to make sure that the information you present online is professional and responsible. Savvy Student has put together a list of the 7 biggest social media no-nos that turn off potential employers.
- Provocative/inappropriate photos This may seem obvious, but many employers report that this is the most common turn-off that they see when checking out a potential employee's Facebook page.
INSTEAD: Keep your photos professional. If you're not sure whether a photograph could be viewed as crude or inappropriate, it may be best not to post it. Go through your photos and untag anything that you wouldn't want your interviewer to see! - Bad-mouthing a previous employer A turn-off for many potential employers is seeing a person who complains about their place of work, employer, coworkers, or any other work-related matters.
INSTEAD: Only write POSITIVE posts about your place of work. If you can't do that, don't mention it! Fill your Facebook with personal and work-related accomplishments you would want a potential employer to know about! - Information suggested inappropriate alcohol or drug use Another item that seems obvious, yet 44% of employers reported it as being evident and unappealing in the past when hiring new employees.
INSTEAD: DON'T DO IT. If you're 21 and choose to drink, be smart. Don't post any photos of yourself that you wouldn't want an employer to see. There is a BIG difference between a picture of you with some friends at a wine and cheese party and a picture of you, a keg, and... well... you get the picture. - Poor communication skills Employers do not want to see a person who makes a great deal of grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. (3mpl0y3rs d0nT lyk 2 c thi$.)
INSTEAD: Make sure to use professional language on your Facebook page. You don't necessarily need to use perfect grammar or language that is not characteristic of how you would speak in your day-to-day life. However, be sure to keep everything you say legible, professional-looking, and appropriate. - Lying about qualifications This should be a no-brainer! You should never list credentials and qualifications on your resume that are not true. And you shouldn't include information on your social media outlets that discredit those credentials and qualifications.
INSTEAD: Use your Facebook or Twitter account to BOLSTER the claims you make about yourself. Do you have volunteer work listed on your resume? Post some pictures of you at your favorite volunteer site! Let them see what makes you a valuable employee. - Discriminatory comments about race, sex, religion, etc. Each person is allowed to have his or her own opinions. However, employers will be immediately turned-off by a potential employee who would bring bigotry or prejudice into the office space.
INSTEAD: If you wish to use your Facebook account to broadcast your opinions about the current political race or your religious beliefs, do it in a respectful way that will not offend others. - Sharing confidential information from previous employers What could be more unappealing to a potential employer than any disrespect for your previous workplace? An employer does not want to hire a person who broadcasts every detail about the work they have done.
INSTEAD: Keep your personal and work life SEPARATE. There is a big difference between posting about an exciting promotion at work and the details of a private, work-related matter. Try to know when to draw the line between work and play!
- Provocative/inappropriate photos - 53%
- Information suggesting inappropriate alcohol or drug use - 44%
- Bad-mouthing a previous employer - 35%
- Poor communication skills - 29%
- Discriminatory comments about race, sex, religion, etc. - 26%
- Lying about qualifications - 24%
- Sharing confidential information from previous employer - 20%
Don't misunderstand these recommendations! You should not strip or delete your social media accounts of your identity in order to appease a potential employer. It is still your personal profile and the way you wish to use it is up to YOU! Just remember who has access to your account and be sure to check your privacy settings if you are not comfortable with employers looking up your latest game of Candy Crush!
Stay professional!
~Savvy Student
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Source:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1334113/if-youre-applying-job-censor-your-facebook-page
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Source:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1334113/if-youre-applying-job-censor-your-facebook-page
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