Any time you start a new position or start searching for a new job you should review your social media presence. Employers can make hiring decisions based on your social media profiles and activity.
Optimize your profile
- Keep profiles up to date
- Fill them out completely in first person for a conversational feel
- Include a recent picture or a professional headshot—some people have a hard time connecting with a generic icon
- Simple backgrounds always work best
Different platforms, different strategies
LinkedIn® is one of the most important social media profiles for job seekers. Your profile should be complete, personal, and jargon-free.
Other platforms can be useful depending on your role or desired position. Twitter shows your breadth of interests but be cautious tweeting controversial opinions and critiques of businesses and organizations. Consider using Facebook’s settings to present a professional public profile while keeping your personal life private.
Google yourself to ensure the information you’ve shared is projecting your image correctly. Include keywords in your profile to bring your social media accounts to the top of search results.
Know your company’s social media policy
Review your employer’s social media policy and remove any posts that don’t meet their standards. Controversial issues like politics and religion may generate emotional reactions, so if you must discuss these, remember to be respectful.
Never share internal information. This can create trust issues and ruin your relationship with current and future employers. Organizations have different positions on whether their employees can unofficially represent the business or organization on their personal social profiles. Again, stick to their guidelines, so your social media accounts will reflect well on both you and employers.