Currently, social media has become an exhibition of our lives. Very few people still resist having accounts on at least one platform since they have become a significant trend around the globe. So normally, the most personal side of each individual is shown in their accounts with photos, videos, and more.
But in addition to this, the influence of social media in job searching continues to be more and more extensive. These platforms are a great tool that helps us create a personal brand and convey a professional image of ourselves.
In consequence, your employer -or future employer- has most likely looked at your social media accounts. That’s why you should know what things could affect negatively your career or job opportunities and how to avoid them.
Can Social Media Affect Your Job Opportunities?
It is understandable that your social networks are a place for personal use and for many a place where they can be themselves and get rid of the stresses of daily life, but if you show a negative image of yourself, it can influence your job opportunities.
Some actions that can affect you are:
- Posting inappropriate photos.
- Rude comments and posts.
- Complaining about your previous employers.
- Intimidating others online.
So, whether negative or positive, your social media presence could give your employer an insight into your character. Although it’s not the deciding factor in the hiring process, it could influence their decision.
Social Media as a Tool for Job Search and Networking
As in many areas, the economy has been affected by the phenomenon of social media, and it seems that you need to have a necessary presence online and create a personal brand to differentiate yourself from other candidates.
Social media platforms are, without a doubt, another tool for job search, working with them allows what is now known as “networking” to have a great folder of contacts and build relationships with business owners or entrepreneurs. You must take into account these factors if you want to succeed in social networks:
- Create an appropriate profile for each social network. If you use social media for entertainment, you must ensure that you avoid giving an unprofessional image of yourself. You can also create a business account specifically for job opportunities, but adjust a little your account just in case.
- Show your professional objective. You must use social media to show your professional objectives, goals, aspirations, and the type of job you want to apply for. That can demonstrate your proactiveness and commitment to a job opportunity.
- Look for contacts. It does not have to be limited to people who know each other personally, they can be references from the work area, people with whom you have worked, etc. It is about creating a network of useful contacts who can help you during the process and in the future.
- Be active online. To improve your profile, it is advisable to share articles, publications, or other information that may be of interest to your contacts. If you create a professional profile on a social media platform, you should not leave it abandoned, you must always keep it updated.
Discrimination and Prejudices in Hiring Based on Social Media Profiles
The analysis of discrimination in the labor market rooted in social media is especially relevant since the inequality of opportunities and treatment constitutes a form of exclusion that aggravates the unemployment of certain groups.
Social media has been widely questioned as an unfair hiring practice, this is because a quick glance at social media implies human judgement derived from personal opinions and assumptions.
For example, when an employer feels an affinity for a candidate, they may subconsciously correlate towards the candidate. Once similarities are found between them and the candidate, they may be more inclined to favor your application over others.
Bias-based selection on social media leads to inconsistencies that make it challenging to collect fair results and justify hiring decisions.
So social media has its pros and cons when it comes to finding a job; while you can find a great variety of options, it could be hard to land one if employers are vastly influenced by only social media platforms.
The Role of Social Media in the Personal Brand and Professional Reputation
But not everything in the world of social media is negative. Personal branding refers to the set of activities one performs to promote oneself as a brand. In other words, it is the process of creating a unique image and perception of oneself.
It is essential because it helps people to stand out from the crowd, providing an opportunity to discover and use their strengths. Back in the day, the only way to do so was with a curriculum and talking in person with contacts.
Social media has given personal brands the facility for their evolution. With the excessive use of social networks, brands have increased their impact in society quicker than ever, but it is a matter of how you manage your accounts to be part of the industry trends.
You can use social media to ask your contacts for advice, recommendations, referrals, and endorsements, and get valuable insights and tips on how to improve your personal brand and job search.
It is safe to say that social networks are a very powerful tool that people should make the most of in order to boost their personal brand and thus positively impact their reputation as well as open up new job opportunities.
Why Using Social Media for Jobs Not Always Work?
Using solely social media for job search will not secure you a job instantly. This goes not only for candidates but also employers; analyzing possible workers through social networks can be complicated with the lack of decisive information.
On top of that, not all applicants will use the same sites, making it difficult to get comparable results. Some may not even use social media, have active accounts, or may completely privatize their profiles.
And even after looking at their social media account, will they be fit for the job? The only way to know is from an interview, so do not draw conclusions quickly until you meet them.
Risks and Potential Dangers of Social Media in Job Applications
Social media recruiting is a great way to target passive candidates who may not be actively looking for a new job, however, this approach also has its drawbacks such as:
- Social networks that minimize information for job offers. As a candidate, it can be difficult to summarize your CV in only a few characters (depending on the limitation of the app). This makes it difficult for employers to view all the information they need about you.
- Data Security. There are privacy concerns with social media recruiting, especially regarding data security and potential lawsuits from rejected applicants who feel they were discriminated against.
- Harassment. Employees may engage in harassing behavior towards their co-workers on a social media platform, and HR will need to take action if it becomes aware of such behavior.
- Negative Exposure. Posts by former employees can damage the employer’s reputation, and maybe even yourself in the long run.
- Legal violations. Employers become more susceptible to charges of discrimination, violations of privacy, and interference with the rights of employees.
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of social media is that it encourages people to share personal information. Even the most cautious employees can reveal information they should not.
The Importance of Privacy Settings and Managing Your Online Presence for Job Seekers
Social media sites do much more than connect people over the internet. Privacy online is the only way to control where our most personal data goes, both personally and at work.
No matter what social media accounts you possess and what experience you post on your profiles, none of this is helpful if the material you post is inappropriate and employers can see it. Once you have a solid online presence, it is important to keep your reputation positive at all times.
The secret to protecting your online profiles is understanding how to properly use each site’s privacy settings. Sites change regularly and that influences your privacy settings, so make sure you read all regulations to adjust your account.
If you do not want employers to look at your profiles, then take the time you need to learn how to better protect yourself from people that is not your close friends and family.
Choose Whether to Stick to the Traditional or Digital Approach
Using social media for job searching can be easy and challenging at the same time, so it is no surprise if you prefer to go in person looking for jobs and giving your CV. Understand that the priority is that you feel comfortable when you look at job opportunities.
If you want to approach through social media, make sure that you leave your mark so employers can see a good and positive image of you. Remember to follow the guidelines of platforms and always have a great reputation.
References
- The importance of your online presence during a job search. (2023, August 18th). In PennState World Campus. https://blog.worldcampus.psu.edu/the-importance-of-your-online-presence-during-a-job-search/
- Conscious About Recruitment Bias? Why Social Media Screening Could Be Your Problem. (2023, August 18th). In https://ciivsoft.com/conscious-about-recruitment-bias-why-social-media-screening-could-be-your-problem/CiiVSOFT.