How Social Media Can Break Your Interview & Cost You The Job
In the current job market, technology tends to play a very big part in landing that great job. Apart from networking, social media often gives job seekers a platform where they can market themselves to potential employers.
According to Melody Mwendwa, a Career Advisor & Professional CV Writer for Corporate Staffing Services, most job seekers lose out on jobs because of what they post, without even knowing it.
“You should be very careful about what you post on the internet as this could have a major impact on your job search,”she says.
You have to remember that the interview process involves many stages. These include; shortlisting, the actual interview and reference checks. Nowadays, employers go the extra mile to use social media pages as points of referrals. This will mean that it is very possible for a job seeker to miss out on a job opportunity because of something they have posted online.
Why Employers Check Out Your Profile On Social Media Platforms
According to Muthoni Ndegwa, a Client Service Manager at Corporate Staffing Services, more and more employers are checking out the social media pages of potential hires. This is because they want to know you wholly before making that final decision.
Here are some of the reasons they prefer to go on social media to get information about you;
To gauge what kind of a person you are
Truth be told, people tend to be more themselves when they are on social media platforms. This is mostly because they assume that the profiles are private property and they sometimes just want to show off to their friends. As such, they share photos, crazy status updates and share some of the most detailed (sometimes graphic) videos.
To gauge your level of maturity
In a case where the management of a company is looking to hire for a senior position, they will sometimes visit your profile whether on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to see what level of maturity you are at. Chances are that if you have posted nude photos or photos of you partying with friends, you may end up missing out on the job because you will not be taken seriously by potential employers.
To It is part of due diligence
For most employers, checking out potential hires on social media platforms is usually the last step to finally make the decision whether to pick a certain candidate or not. The recruitment process takes place in several stages and for modern day employers, reference checks usually include social media pages.
How Your Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin Pages Are Destroying Your Interview
1.You have the wrong network of people
You may have the perfect social media profile and your photos are clean and show who you are. But, what are your 400 friends posting and tagging you in? All it takes is one friend tagging you in an offensive post to rip apart your credibility and professionalism.
If a potential employer sees a questionable photo in which you’re tagged, he won’t care if it’s your photo or a friend’s photo. It will create a doubt in their minds that may well make them deny you that job, even if you have the perfect credentials.
Be careful about the kind of people that you associate with online. Go beyond wanting to have over a certain number of friends and focus instead on what they say about you. Be cautious when making connections and it could mean the difference in your next interview.
2.You have too many privacy filters
There is a danger of not putting up filters, especially when you go online. This is because of the constant dangers of hacking and spammers who are always looking for weak links. However, this could be a hindrance to you being successful in your next interview.
Social media recruiting is becoming more and more important for employers, it is a cost effective, convenient way to find talent and to pre-screen candidates. As such, an employer is more likely to interview a candidate that has a fun, interesting profile than someone who has maximum privacy filters turned on and doesn’t allow employers to get to know them.
Make your profiles more accessible and keep them brief and to the point. Let them speak of your professionalism and positive outlook on life. Be sure to make them as natural as possible because if they appear staged, it could be a turn off for potential employers.
The next time you are networking online, you have to remember that you leave behind digital footprints which can always be traced back to you. Think of your online presence like an international CV that will potentially market you in the online job platform.
Wishing you all the best as you prepare for your next interview.
