Clean Up Your Social Media Presence to Find a Job in 2020!

According to surveys, HR personnel eliminate candidates from their hiring processes because of something they saw on social media.

Hiring managers and recruiters review social media profiles to learn about prospective candidates, their background and the image they have chosen to present. They also look for red flags, therefore, people looking for work should ensure their social pages align with information on their resume and cover letter. It’s also important to be self-aware regarding the content you post, and people to whom you are connected.

The following tips can help you clean up your social media presence so you can start your job search in earnest.

View Your Public-Facing Profiles

You may think that your privacy settings are hiding your party pictures and hottest social media takes, but its very possible that a few potential red flags have slipped through the cracks. A good way to see what you are presenting to the public is to view all of your social profiles from the outside. This can be done by signing out of your accounts and going to your profile pages, or many networks have an option to view your page “as public.”

When doing this, take note of anything you don’t want a hiring manager to see, log back in and delete the offending content. Be sure to do this for all of your social profiles, especially those on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Upload Recent, Positive-Looking Photos

If you’ve gained more than a few pounds or grey hairs since the most recent photos posted to your social media profiles, you’re probably not in any rush to post new ones. However, you don’t want to misrepresent yourself and show up to an interview looking like a totally different person.

Be sure to post picture that show off your best self. A professional headshot is perfectly acceptable for LinkedIn and Twitter but might be a bit odd for your personal Facebook page. Avoid posting selfies and photos where people have clearly been cropped out.

When in Doubt – Delete

Is one of your scorching hot takes on the local sports team really going to cost you a job opportunity? Is a respectful Twitter debate during the 2016 presidential election a red flag in the eyes of a hiring manager?

If you are relatively active, there may a fair amount of content on your social media pages that walks the line between harmless and dubious. In these situations, the best bet is to go ahead an delete the content. Let’s face it: Strong opinions may seem important in the heat of the moment but leaving them lying around for a potential employer to find can only lead to bad things.

Let SRG Help You Prepare for a Job Search

At Superior Resource Group, we regularly help job seekers prepare for and execute a job search. If you are currently looking for a new job, please contact us today!

 

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