If you have one or more social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on – there’s a common-sense rule regarding what to share – or not share – on your profile. The rule is…don’t share anything that you wouldn’t want your mother to see. Makes sense, right? Well, if you take your job seriously and plan to stay there for the long haul, then you might want to re-think this rule and not share any news that you wouldn’t want your mother – or employer – to see.
A survey by Jobvite, an analytics platform for the recruiting industry, highlighted the latest stats about the role that social media plays when it comes to the recruiting process. The findings leave no doubt that what you share on your social media profiles could make – or break – your chances of getting hired or fired.
The survey says:
- 93% of hiring managers will review a candidate’s social profile before making a hiring decision
- 55% of hiring managers have reconsidered a candidate based on what they found on the candidate’s social media profile (with 61% of the considerations being negative)
- The social media channels used most often for recruiting are LinkedIn (79%), Facebook (26%) and Twitter (14%)
So what are the topics most concerning to hiring managers?
- Illegal drugs – 83% of recruiters say references to drugs is a big no-no
- Sexual posts – 70% of surveyed recruiters view them negatively
- Profanity-laced posts – 66% say these posts reflect poorly on a candidate
- Guns – over 50% didn’t like posts on the topic
- Alcohol – 44% viewed alcohol-related posts as cause for concern
- Spelling/Grammar – 66% of recruiters would hold bad spelling and grammar against a candidate
So how can you make a positive impression with social media? Talk about your interests in volunteering or making charitable donations. About 65% of those surveyed said that this type of information can leave a positive impression. You can also make a positive impression by the company you keep on social media. Who you interact with is important, and can possibly score you points with some folks.
There you have it. Using a little common sense when it comes to sharing on social media can go a long way in keeping you on good terms with your current, or future, employer.
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