Social media has provided our culture with the chance to connect with one another and to form communities that otherwise may not have been possible without the digital platform. Just as you can use social media platforms to connect with lost friends and distant relatives—or form new friendships and nurture current relationships—so can others use the platform to perform background checks or glean information about you. Hiring managers are just one example of those who may use social media as a way of evaluating you for a job, and this can work in your favor or against it depending on the picture your social media paints of you.
Not only are hiring managers looking at social media but, as per a recent survey, around 60 percent of employers will use the digital platform when researching potential job candidates. Admittedly, hiring managers won’t peruse your social media accounts because they’re intentionally searching for information that would disqualify your application, but it’s possible for them to find reasons to while looking through your online accounts. Given the likelihood of hiring managers going through your social media accounts and viewing the available public content, it’s important that you know what content works in your favor and what doesn’t.
Negative Social Media Content
Below, you can find some of the more common types of content on social media that are most likely to turn hiring managers off from your application:
- Provocative or inappropriate information, pictures, or videos
- Information on a candidate using drugs or drinking
- Discriminatory comments on gender, religion, race, etc.
- Insulting or bad-mouthing a past employee or company
- Weak communication skills
With all this in mind, don’t start thinking you have to go and hide or delete every one of your social media accounts. The reason for this is simple—the other 40 percent of hiring managers from the previously mentioned survey say that it’s less likely that they’ll interview a potential candidate if they can’t find anything about the candidate online. This may seem like a double-edged sword, but social media doesn’t need to be the enemy during a job hunt. In fact, it can even be a huge ally.
Positive Social Media Content
Fortunately, social media has plenty to offer for a background check beyond potentially unflattering old pictures from college. To prove that, here is a quick rundown of content hiring managers tend to find that may cause them to choose one potential candidate over another:
- Social media conveys a professional image
- Background info that supports job qualifications
- Candidate displays a wide variety of interests
- Candidate’s personality comes across as a good fit for the company culture
- Excellent communication skills
While it’s certainly not always the deciding factor when choosing someone for a job, social media can be a real opportunity for candidates to display their skills, interests, personality, expertise, and anything else under the sun that might not be covered by a cover letter or a resume. It’s important for you to portray yourself positively on your social media accounts, especially when you’re searching for new employment opportunities.
If you are struggling to find the right opportunity or simply are not getting calls back after submitting your resume for a position, it may be time to consider using a hospitality recruiter like JDI. Our team of professionals work with our candidates to highlight their expertise as well as advising them on resume changes and their online presence. For more information about our recruiting services for candidates, click here.
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