Workforce Guides

There’s no denying the growing importance of social media when it comes to candidates searching for work and companies hoping to hire them. Social networks, especially LinkedIn, serve as an online résumé for many professionals in a variety of industries. Organizations also leverage the internet to research candidates before bringing them in for an interview.

Because of that last point, it is important you pay attention to your online activity – and privacy settings – in case any of your content is unprofessional. That fun time during school may keep you from interviewing for a great job.

Keep Your LinkedIn Activity Professional

Use your LinkedIn account for professional purposes only; this shouldn’t be a problem for most candidates as nearly all the content on the site is related to the business world. Be sure to use keywords describing your skills and abilities, as that helps you get noticed by hiring managers searching the site. Make sure you have a professional photo as well – profiles without photos don’t attract as many interested companies.

Beware Using Twitter and Instagram When Looking for Work

Your Twitter and Instagram accounts need special care if you are looking for a job. Nearly everything you post on Twitter is for public consumption unless you mark your entire profile as private. Still, you should delete any unflattering or unprofessional content – posts, images, links to other similar content, etc. – from both accounts.

Even when cleansing those accounts, you aren’t completely secure because of what might get cached in an internet search result. Consider this reality in the future before you decide to post something a hiring manager may find offensive.

Facebook Requires an Understanding of Privacy Settings

Still the preeminent social network, Facebook also provides the most flexibility on your privacy settings. This lets you restrict some content from the public, as well as parts of your “Friends” collection. Nonetheless, take care not to post anything that could potentially be considered unprofessional, even if the content in question is marked as “Friends Only.”

The bottom line is simple. Your career prospects depend on a clean social media presence. Make sure you don’t post anything unprofessional on any of your accounts, as even a full understanding of privacy settings still brings the risk of that content being seen by a potential employer.

When you need additional insights on building a career in any industry, talk to the experts at PrideStaff Houston. As one of the top general staffing agencies in the Southwest, we know what great companies are looking for talent. Connect with us soon!