You know you need a good resume, excellent references, and the skills to back everything up when you’re applying for a new job. But have you thought much about your social media presence? Today’s world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more are so ubiquitous that everyone has them, but no one really thinks about their long-term implication. The truth is, companies will view your public social media before making a hiring decision, so it’s vital you make sure your online presence is professional. Here are some tips for reviewing and cleaning up your social media.
Look at Your Privacy Settings
The first and most important step is to ensure any profile that can be is made private. This is most important with Facebook. Many people use Facebook as their personal social media platform to connect with friends and family, but there are still aspects that are discoverable online. Go into your privacy settings to make sure data that should be private isn’t public. Keep in mind your profile picture and cover photo are always public, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
Remove Inappropriate Content
For the more public accounts, like Twitter or Instagram, you may want to take a moment to review what you’ve done in the past and remove anything that may be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. If an employer views your public profile and sees images or posts that go against their policies or corporate values, they are not likely to provide a job offer.
Delete Inactive Accounts
One thing most people don’t think about is their inactive accounts. Maybe you signed up for Google+ back in the day or Ello when everyone else was talking about bailing on Facebook. But you logged into them only a few times and now they lay barren. It’s time to delete those accounts. That information is viewable online, and if you don’t use them or they don’t reflect your current brand, just let them go.
Change Your Photo and Bio
Here is where you can make a big different across all your platforms. Change your profile photo on everything to a more professional picture. Do it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram or whatever else you use. Also change your profile photo on Facebook. It doesn’t need to be your professional headshot, but don’t let it be overly inappropriate either. Do the same with your bio on all these sites so when an employer does view you, they can get a feel for who you are on social media.
Post Professional Content
If you’re actively looking for a job, it can’t hurt to make sure your social media reflects what you do, who you are, and what you’re looking for. So, go ahead and post links to professional websites that speak to you. Share blog posts, other social media posts, or even you own content like book reviews or other things that will help an employer see who you are professionally.
Do you have questions about how your social media presence can affect your job search? Contact the team at Harvard Resources Solutions to learn more. Or, check out our open jobs and find an exciting new Troy, MI job opportunity!
