Social Media has become ingrained into our lives. We use it to connect with friends, family, celebrities and influencers. But it is also used as you are job searching. Hiring managers may be looking at your Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn accounts at any time throughout the hiring process to get a better idea of who you are, and if you will be a good fit for the available role.
While you are job searching it is a good idea to continue to be active on your accounts, and perhaps even provide certain profiles on your resume. Here are a few things to include or not include, on your social media presence.
Create Content on LinkedIn
Writing blog posts on LinkedIn is fairly easy, and it is important for you to express your expertise. Having content will be a good conversation started with the recruiters or hiring managers but it will also showcase your unique skill set and knowledge. A combination of written content, with photos will help you stand out, have a few articles written before you even hit ‘apply’.
Be Considerate of your Industry
Not all positions will interact with social media directly, so it may not be essential for you to include your profiles on your resume. But if you do, it is a good idea to show how you have used social media effectively in the past.
Audit Social Media Frequently
When you start a new job search, it is a good idea to go through all of your social media accounts and ask the following questions:
- Do my posts demonstrate my personality, as well as my areas of expertise?
- What message is my profile picture, headline, and posts sending to prospective employers?
- Have I been actively managing this account? When was the last time I posted an update or shared new information?
- Are my photos and posts work-appropriate? Is there anything I need to delete before I should include this account on my resume?
Consider a Private Account
“According to one study, employers considered marijuana use, political rants, spelling mistakes, alcohol consumption, showing off wealth and revealing too much skin to be red flags. If you make a private account, make sure to use a nickname or something that an employer couldn’t connect the dots to. Your friends will appreciate you exactly as you are — and professionals will see your solid soft and hard skills in a more buttoned-up manner.”
Have a Professional Headshot
Having a professional headshot on LinkedIn will increase your chances of getting clicked on by 40%. This image should be used across all accounts, and as the profile image on your email, even though you should not use a photo on your resume.
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