What you do in the social media platform? Connect with like-minded people, share feelings, post photos and comment on others’ posts. Have you ever thought that your social media behavior can be under scanner? Modern employers are more interested to study what you say on social networking sites than looking at your resume. It has become a trend to screen the social networking sites of the job applicants. According to a study conducted by Reppler, 76% of the companies use Facebook as their primary resource to have an in-depth knowledge of the job applicants.
What kind of information the hiring managers try to learn from the social networking sites?
More than half of the companies go through the social media platform of the applicants to determine whether the person is a good match with the company’s culture. Others want to learn more about the candidates’ qualifications and skills. When your resume includes several details, why the prospective employers are more eager about the social media profiles?
The employers are of the opinion that from the social media sites they can comprehend the real interests of a person, their hobbies and skills which the resume or the cover letter lacks to focus. How will you behave in the social networking sites? Be very calculative while using your social media platform? It is simply not possible to be entirely formal in a social media platform.
Instead, it is better to keep certain aspects of your life secret. What to reveal and what to hide will depend on the kind of information that the employers look from the social networking sites. Usually, the hiring team of a company scans the profiles for reasons that will restrain them from appointing the candidate.
In most of the cases, the job applications are rejected after the screening process. The most obvious reason for rejection being, the candidate has made some reference about drug use or limitless drinking. Some other instances for which someone may lose a prospective employment opportunity include: bad comments about the former employers, confidential information of previous employers, poor communication skills, and lies about skills or qualifications.
At which phase of the hiring process do the employers look at the social networking sites?
Maximum companies primarily shortlist candidates on the basis of resume, after which there is a phase of initial conversation. Only after that the hiring managers screen the social networking sites. A prospective employee can be extremely mature and professional during half-an hour interview session, but to analyze his or her real decorum the employers consider the social media behavior of the person.
Before hiring an employee, the companies consider internet for information that a prospective candidate will like to hide. Bozeman’s assistant city manager Chuck Winn told in an interview in CNET “Shame on us if there was information out there available about a person who applied for a job who was a child molester or had some sort of information out there on the Internet that kind of showed those propensities and we didn't look for it, we didn't ask, and we hired that person."
However, that interview was criticized badly, as Winn’s explanation signifies an invasion to privacy. While employers can scout the internet for details that may benefit them somehow in the recruitment process, they have no right to ask the prospective employees to provide passwords of their social media account or hack it. The company interested to go through a personal account can only view the information that is public. Therefore, make sure how your Timeline appears to others.
How can you attract the attention of employers through social media sites?
Just do not focus on removing or hiding improper content from the online profiles. If you are searching for a job try to present information through your personal accounts that willcatch the employers’ eyes. Job seekers who are invisible or silent online are at an unfavorable position. In the competitive job market, you will be noticed if you can successfully illustrate your strengths through your online accounts. Instead of demonstrating what you have already accomplished, show through the profiles what you can offer to the prospective employers.
LinkedIn is an obvious place to build up a professional profile. Include in that profile a detailed resume along with your job history. Project this kind of information in your Twitter, Facebook and Google + profile as well. Follow the companies in your field. Join the conversations about industry trends and like the posts that interests you. Share your expertise through different articles.
Valuable information will likely impress the employers and you can pocket a desirable job.
Author Bio:
Richard White works as an editor at Yellow Brick Path. He enjoys varying his work and researching new and different approaches to his work. He shares an interest in career counseling and recruitment.