Let’s face it: we all love Facebook. After a weekend of mayhem or a memorable event, we immediately look to Facebook to see photos and evidence that we had a more epic time than anyone, ever. Our Facebook statuses are full of our emotional ups and downs and we tweet our everyday activities hoping someone will be interested.
But with 37% of companies using social networks to research potential job candidates*, we’re risking our dream job with photos of last night’s indiscretions. Of the nearly 2 in 5 companies checking out our profiles, 65% do it to see if we present ourselves professionally, and 51% are interested in whether we’re a good fit for the company culture.
Your image, personality, communication skills and decorum are all of interest to your prospective employer. So if you insist on posting pics from your best friend’s hen do, make sure your privacy settings are set so that employers won’t be able to see them. Be sure to post inoffensive images to your profile and cover photos, and make sure your education and qualifications are up-to-date and accurate across all of your social media profiles. Using Twitter? Avoid sharing info about your three-day bender or bad-mouthing your previous employer. And watch your spelling and grammar. Something as simple as numerous typos could see you rejected.
*According to a survey by CareerBuilder in April 2012.
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