According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, the number of employers using social media to screen candidates has increased 500% over the last decade. “Sixty percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates. More than a quarter of employers have found content online that has caused them to reprimand or fire an employee.”[1] With a that in mind, job seekers and employees need to be very careful about what they choose to share on social media. Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the top four social media platforms right now, and most people have at least one account on one of these platforms.

Employers use social media to post openings, search for candidates, for character references, and as you just read, in some cases to reprimand or fire employees. As an employee, it’s very important that you know the difference between personal posts and work-related posts. As a job seeker, it’s important to know that personal posts can cost you a future job opportunity. Here are some tips when posting:

1. Social media is not your best friend, you don’t want to divulge complaints about other people or your employer, personal secrets, or vent about your personal or work life.

2. Things that might seem funny to you may be perceived as rude or in bad taste by others, so be careful and thoughtful about other people when you post.

3. Online reputation management is key! You wouldn’t say or do things in a job interview that would be detrimental to your job opportunity, so don’t share things on social media that you wouldn’t share during an interview about yourself.

4. The exception to the rule is privatization and a separation of work and personal life, but this is harder said than done. More on this below.  

Anonymity does not exist when it comes to social media. Which means that as a job seeker, you must be mindful of the way social media can be used by employers to find things out about you before you even get an interview for a job. So what can you do if you’re active on social media, but don’t want an employer to get the wrong idea about you? The first option is to clean up your profile. Are you sharing “inappropriate photos” or information about yourself that you would only want your close friends to know? Remove those photos, videos, and posts before you start your job search. The second option is to “lock down” your social media accounts by setting your privacy settings so that ONLY friends that you accept can view the personal details of your life. The third option is to avoid social media altogether.

We know employers use social media to do research on candidates, but how can job seekers use social media in their job search? As a job seeker, you can use social media to search for job openings, research companies, and to find contacts at companies – if done right, this is a great way to learn more about an opportunity, to network with individuals who work at the company, and ultimately to get an interview and a job. LinkedIn is the best tool when it comes to networking and researching companies. LinkedIn can be used to find contacts at companies. Company employees who have LinkedIn profiles are listed for each company page on LinkedIn, think of it as a complimentary company directory. As a job seeker, you will want to connect with the right people, start professional conversations, and network your way into that job you’ve always wanted.

In closing, if you use social media for personal use, you must consider what you are posting, sharing, and even liking.  I am reminded of one of my previous supervisors who after meetings would quote the classic Hill Street Blues TV show and would fittingly say, “let’s be careful out there!”  For more tips and expert advice on how to use social media in your job search and why it’s important, please contact a Michigan Works! office near you:  Michigan Works Locator.

Richard Martin is a Project Manager with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, he has extensive experience working one-on-one with job seekers in his previous roles. Now he works with employers to provide expertise and connections to talent resources, partners, programs, and funding sources to companies as part of the MEDC's business attraction, retention, and development efforts.

[1]  http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?ed=12%2F31%2F2016&id=pr945&sd=4%2F28%2F2016