Make Social Media Your Job-Finding Weapon

What’s one way for hiring managers to learn who you are outside the confines of the résumé, cover letter and interview? Scanning your social media profiles.
It turns out 37% of employers screen potential job candidates on social networks, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. That means about two in five companies browse your social media profiles to evaluate your character and personality — and some even base their hiring decision on what they find.

“Social media is a primary vehicle of communication today, and because much of that communication is public, it’s no surprise some recruiters and hiring managers are tuning in,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “It will be interesting to see over the years how many employers adopt formal policies around social media.”

Brad Schepp, co-author of How To Find A Job On LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ says he was surprised to learn that just 37% of employers are researching candidates on social networking sites. “I would think that number is actually much higher,” he says. “If you were a recruiter, or a hiring manager for a company, wouldn’t you check out a potential hire through LinkedIn? Or, if you were hiring a recent grad, it would almost surely occur to you to visit their Facebook profile.”
Of the employers who do not research candidates on social media, 15% said it’s because their company prohibits the practice, and 11% report they do not currently use social media to screen, but plan to start.
The survey also found that employers are primarily using Facebook (65%) and LinkedIn (63%) to research candidates. Just 16% use Twitter.
So why are they using social networks to research candidates? Sixty-five percent said they do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally. About half (51%) want to see if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture, and another 45% want to learn more about his or her qualifications. Some cited ‘to see if the candidate is well-rounded’ and ‘to look for reasons not to hire the candidate,’ as their motives.

A third (34%) of those who scan social media profiles said they have found content that has caused them not to hire the candidate. About half said they didn’t offer a job candidate the position because of provocative or inappropriate photos and information posted on his or her profile. Forty-five percent said they have decided not to hire someone because of information about him or her drinking or using drugs. Other hiring managers chose not to offer the job because the candidate’s profile showed poor communication skills, bad mouthing previous employers, making discriminatory comments related to race, gender, or religion, and lying about qualifications.
“Social media is used differently by everyone,” Haefner says. “Some embrace the tools to extend their personal, professional brands and others choose to solely use it is as a private channel with their friends and family. So when a hiring manager does find public social media content, it’s possible to get a better sense of that person’s interests and personality, but that doesn’t replace the value of meeting the individual face-to-face.”
No matter what information is found on a candidate, and regardless of where it’s found, the process has to abide by fair and equal hiring practices, she adds.

 

The good news is that hiring managers aren’t just screening your social media profiles to dig up dirt; they’re also looking for information that could possibly give you an advantage. Twenty-nine percent of the surveyed hiring managers said they have found something positive on a profile that has caused them to offer the candidate a job. In some cases it was that the employer got a good feel for the candidate’s personality. Others chose to hire because the profile conveyed a professional image. In some instances it was because background information supported professional qualifications, other people posted great references about the candidate, or because the profile showed that the job seeker is creative, well-rounded, or has great communication skills.

“It’s possible to maintain both professional and social personas online as long as you take the time to monitor content and tailor who can see what,” Haefner says. On most social networking sites the user has control over who can view each individual piece of content, she adds. “It’s possible to keep personal or social information secure while still leaving some basic information public.”
The lesson for job seekers: If you choose to share content publicly on social media, make sure it’s working to your advantage, she says. “Take down or secure anything that could potentially be viewed by an employer as unprofessional and share content that highlights your accomplishments and qualifications in a positive way.”  Hiring managers aren’t necessarily looking for red flags; most just want a better idea of who you are. “Knowing that, it’s possible to use social media as valuable job search tool.”
Schepp adds, “Make sure any profiles you write are free of typos, the information is coherent and applicable to your industry [or job you’re trying to land], and your photos present you in a favorable light. You can verify the applicability of the information by checking profiles of others in the same field.”
The information you provide online about your job background and accomplishments should be consistent, he says. “Don’t assume an employer will only be checking you out on LinkedIn. They may also check Facebook, or even Twitter and Google+.  The story you tell on each site should be pretty much the same, although it’s fine to adapt the material for the site.”