Need a job? Clean up your social media profile!

Infographic 

Employers say they don’t care what you do online . . . you shouldn't believe them regarding this matter. They are looking. In the past few years social media has become a powerful tool in the hands of employers. Nowadays employers use social media to meet their prospective employees before interviewing them.

Why do employers choose social media as an information source?

Companies have long used screening methods, searches on the internet to probe the previous lives of prospective employees.
In the infographic below I’m visualizing some of the facts that made companies believe internet is a great source of information. Because it gives access to information that mostly cannot be revealed on traditional interviews.
Each day Facebook users from the United Kingdom spend 26m 27s online on the social network.
24% of Americans and 28% of Brits admitted to lying or exaggerating on a social network about what they had done and/or who they had met.
How many employers use social media and what they want to find out?

Employers want to make sure that the person they're going to hire is representing their organisation to the best. According to Careerbuilder, a study made in 2009, shows that 45% of the employers were using social media sites to screen potential hires.
86% of the employers say that candidates should make their profiles more employer-friendly

3 key information what employers want to find out from prospective employees

Is the candidate comprehensively developed?
Will the candidate fit into the company's culture?
Which are the candidate’s professional skills

6 things employers surely don’t want to see

Bad mouthing about previous employer or acquaintance
References to drugs
Online evidence of racist remarks
Flagrant displays of weapons or bombs
Clearly identifiable violent activity
Sexually explicit photos, text messages or videos

Summary

Don't let your social media profile to be used you. Be careful what you post or share. Messy social media profiles can badly hurt your reputation. Make your profile employer-friendly before sending out your resume to your future employer.

 

Sources:

http://goo.gl/GEfvh
http://www.careerbuilder.com
http://www.vault.com
http://searchenginewatch.com
http://goo.gl/K9yNo
http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/world-map-of-social-media-june-2012_b23912