Career Advice for Job Seekers
8 Ways You’re Ruining Your Online Reputation
It has become common practice for employers to scan social media sites of job applicants, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. According to survey done by Microsoft, 70% of employers have rejected applicants based on public information found on the Internet.
It’s one thing for employers to screen applicants based on publicly displayed information. But now, in an economic atmosphere were many candidates are willing to do just about anything to get the job, some companies are asking candidates for their social media passwords in order to gain even more insight.
Don’t Get Crushed Under the Weight of Your Own Social Media Footprint
This recent trend has generated some intense debate about privacy, as well as conversations regarding employer boundaries during the hiring process.
Employers who ask for social media passwords are navigating tricky waters. Not only is the request a violation of Facebook’s terms of service, the Department of Justice considers it a federal crime to violate terms of service in order to enter social media sites. Recently, Maryland became the first state to ban employers from asking for a job seeker’s password.
As the debate heats up, some employers are resorting to “safer” measures to better gain access to social media profiles, such as “friending” applicants. Whether your password has been requested or whether the potential employer resorts to wilier methods, it’s important to know that nothing you put on the Internet is completely safe from someone who really wants access to it. Your social media “footprint” can significantly impact your career potential — both negatively and positively.
This article shares eight pitfalls job seekers should avoid to circumvent damage to their online reputations, as well as ways to positively impact and rehabilitate it.
1. Looking Bad on Google
Get in your head right from the start that your prospective employer will see whatever you do. So, could what they see affect your chances of employment?
According to a survey done by the job search and recruiting network ExecuNet, 77% of employers use Google and other search engines to check out candidates. Googling yourself will allow you to see both the good and bad, and will help you formulate a plan to leave the best online footprint possible. As a starting point, remove everything that doesn’t portray you in a professional light, such as a tagged photo of yourself on spring break, a poorly punctuated, rambling review on Amazon.com, or an essay on how to master “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.” Continue reading . . .
Article by Dawn Dugan and courtesy of Salary.com
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