Employers are using social media websites to help them hire people more than ever before. According to a poll done by JumpStartSocialMedia.com 75% of hiring managers are using LinkedIn to research job candidates. LinkedIn is not the only social media website that hiring managers are using though. It seems that 48% are using Facebook and 26% are using Twitter.
Why LinkedIn?
I understand why employers would want to use LinkedIn to research credentials of a potential employee. After all LinkedIn is a professional social media site. If you are seeking employment, you're LinkedIn profile should be complete and useful. This way a potential employer can go there and essentially see your resume and references online.
Why Facebook?
I even understand why an employer would want to use Facebook or MySpace to research potential employees. This is a great way to learn about the personal aspect of a person and find out what kind of person they really are. A potential employer wouldn't want to hire someone who's a drunk and won't show up to work each day.
Why Twitter?
Twitter I don't get though. Why would a potential employer be interested in Twitter. Twitter is after all a place to post important events, whine, drone on, or just post about trivial things. There are other uses too that are more useful, but to base employment on Twitter, I don't get it.
How Social Media Can Hurt You
I don't condone not hiring someone because of something minor found on social media sites though. Sometimes things found on social media sites can stop you from becoming employed. If you belong to a hobby site about something controversial, and the potential employer is on the other side of your belief, that should not stop them from hiring you, but it might.
What Should You Do?
Make sure to complete your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter profiles. Fill in all the blanks being careful not to list things that a potential employer would find offensive.
Ask people to network with you. Find other people who have the same beliefs and insights that you have. Join groups that interest you or that will help you with your career goals in some way.
Share links to news stories that interest you. Add your own insight to each story, just a sentence or two will do. Participate in online discussions using meaningful opinions.
Ask the people in your groups or people on your friend list to introduce you to other people who may be helpful to your career goal. The more connections you have that are meaningful, the better. Use these people to your advantage.
Keep your profiles up to date. Add interesting facts about yourself and change them periodically to keep your site fresh.
Don't use vulgar language or post about your weekend escapades if they are things that someone might find offensive. Finding a photo of you on top of a table with a lamp shade on your head could lose you the job.
Comments
Twitter is simple: You can tell whether someone keeps up on their industry, and whether they actively participate and share knowledge. That's a realtime side of a potential hire that's not always evident from Linkedin.
With this article in mind, you may be interested in "10 Ways to Screw Up Your LinkedIn Presence". Google Search for my blog with Haropulos Bailey Consulting. Questions and comments are welcomed.
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