By Ringside Talent
March 29, 2018
Currently interviewing for a new position or thinking about starting the search for a new job? There is something you need to know: According to a recent Career Builder survey, 70% of employers said that they snoop through social media profiles of candidates they are interviewing looking for red flags. So what do these red flags look like? Is there such a thing as a “good” social media profile? What if you aren’t on social media at all? Check out these facts reported by Career Builder:
- 54% of employers did NOT hire a candidate based on something they found on their social media
- 44% of employers have found content on a social networking site that caused them to HIRE a candidate
- 57% of employers are less likely to call someone in if the candidate is a “ghost online”
See below for a detailed explanation according to Career Builder of the good, the bad, and the ugly of social media as it pertains to the interview process:
Red Flags: What will cause a company to NOT hire you:
- Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information: 39 percent
- Candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs: 38 percent
- Candidate had discriminatory comments related to race, gender or religion: 32 percent
- Candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee: 30 percent
- Candidate lied about qualifications: 27 percent
- Candidate had poor communication skills: 27 percent
- Candidate was linked to criminal behavior: 26 percent
- Candidate shared confidential information from previous employers: 23 percent
- Candidate’s screen name was unprofessional: 22 percent
- Candidate lied about an absence: 17 percent
The Good: What social media content actually increases your chances of getting hired:
- Candidate’s background information supported their professional qualifications: 38%
- Candidate showed great communication skills: 37%
- Candidate had a professional image/images: 36%
- Candidate showed creativity: 35%
So what does this information tell you? First, using social media is not just a normal part of our everyday lives, it is actually good to have a social media footprint. A carefully curated public profile that portrays a personal background that matches your professional background, demonstrates good communication, creativity, positive social skills, and community involvement could all help you get hired into a company. Keep in mind, with all the opportunity to portray yourself in a positive light comes the potential for making mistakes that could cost you a job. It must be kept in the back of your mind before posting, sharing, and commenting that your potential new boss could be viewing what you share. A good rule of thumb before posting is to stop and review it under the lens of: “would I not only want, but HOPE that my boss sees this”? If the answer is no, it is probably best to leave it remain something personal to just you.
Another way to help ensure that there is nothing online that will block you from getting a position is working with a professional recruiter. That’s because recruiters like the ones at Ringside, have great relationships with hiring managers and they understand what they are looking for and can be your first line of defense in ensuring what you are putting out their is going to help you get the job.
To help move your job hunt forward by partner with a recruiter, contact Ringside HERE.
Article by Lauren Salm at Career Builder