When you are looking for information on something, where do you turn? You go straight to the internet, right? Well, hiring managers and recruiters are no different. Employers often look you up on the internet before calling you in for an interview. They might scope out your LinkedIn profile, look your name up on a public search engine, and scope out your Twitter or Facebook posts that are public. If you are on the job market, take the time to optimize your internet presence to make sure it reflects your work ethic, reliability, and trustworthiness.
First, make sure everything you want hidden is truly hidden.
Go to your settings on social media and make sure that your private pictures and posts are not publicly posted. You probably don’t want a bunch of public selfies at the bar, partying with your friends. You also may want to restrict your settings on private posts, such as political or religious posts, depending on you industry or field. However, if your posts show off your skill set, those can remain public.
Then, take the time to polish up any information about you that is public.
Is your LinkedIn up-to-date? Does it reflect your skills, experience, and education? Is your profile picture professional? We are here to help. Our certified writers are skilled at building professional profiles online, so contact us for help! What about Twitter & Instagram? Do you promote yourself, your work ethic, and your company online? As long as you are adhering to your company’s social media guidelines, and your posts show how engaged you are, feel free to keep those posts public.
Lastly, put yourself in the mind of a recruiter and search for yourself online.
See what information you can find about yourself that you may not even know is out there publicly. Then, act accordingly and remove any of your not-so professional public information.