In today’s day and age, the vast majority of those around us
are using some sort of social networking site, including potential employers. Not
only are they using these sites to actively recruit employees, but also using
them to check out applicants before hiring them or even granting them an
interview. Today, maintaining a social profile that sheds a positive light on
you and maintains your professional appearance is yet another hoop to jump
through before getting a job in this competitive market.
According to glassdoor.com, there are 5 simple ways to keep
your online life from being detrimental to your professional life. These are:
1)
Do not use vulgar or obscene words. Employers
will assume you use the same language online as you do in public, and they will
not take the chance of you misrepresenting their company with your language.
2)
Avoid negativity. Employers want upbeat,
positive workers so do your best to portray yourself in this way.
3)
Do not gossip. Again, employers will assume that
if you currently post things about others, you will continue to, which may
negatively affect public outlook on their company.
4)
Being overly outspoken about your opinions,
especially regarding sensitive topics can send a red flag for employers. They
would like to maintain a positive, harmonious environment rather than one of
constant debate and conflict.
5)
Go through your tagged pictures. Employers
generally prefer clean cut employees with good hygiene. If you doubt whether a
picture sends that message to a stranger looking at it, delete it.
To view the full article go to: http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-ways-online-lifestyle-ruining-career-opportunities/
Remember, social media is not all bad. Many people have
utilized these sites to network and have landed jobs through these outlets.
Mashable.com has posted a short article called “7 Secrets to Getting Your Next
Job Using Social Media” that can be found by following this link: http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/. It is never too early to start making those
valuable contacts with employers! I highly recommend reading this article to
learn how you can be proactive with your online profiles.
