There’s been a lot of noise regarding social media. It can dilute offline communication, make us paranoid daters and even cost you a job. If you’re a recent graduate or college leaver, loosing out on a job opportunity is a frightening prospect.
According to an international survey conducted by Jobvite 92% of companies either plan to or already use social media when recruiting. While it’s not surprising that companies use social media to search for candidates, a large number of young adults are still getting recognised online for the wrong reasons.
Drunken photos, tagged in inappropriate Facebook posts and explicit tweets… it’s easy to do with a few impulsive clicks. Your online reputation needs to be protected.
Think your safe? Just take a look Paris Brown, the former Kent police and crime commissioner that resigned because some digital skeletons in her online closet.
So, what can you do to highlight the good and hide the bad?
Be an 80:20 Tweeter
If you want to be a respected member of the Twittersphere and impress future employers make sure you tweet about your field of study or profession and engage with it 80% of the time. Keep opinion, comment and debate for the other 20%.
Always use protection
Unless you’re an online angel (and who is) or you have a completely professional page, make sure Facebook profiles can only be seen by your friends. Likewise, if you have a current employer on your page use the privacy settings to filter what they can see about you.
Avoid keeping a digital diary
‘I just ate an apple and tripped #NotGood’ – pointless tweets are boring and no one including your future boss is going to be amused by them.
Get LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great networking tool and is the equivalent of an online CV. Invest time in creating a strong profile to attract interest.
Google yourself
It may sound egotistical (Not as bad as that Instagram ‘selfie’) but when you can be judged before you even meet someone in the online world it’s essential. If you want to know what everyone is posting near your name set up Google Alerts.