Looking at Your Online Presence Before Starting a Job Search
By Dan Simmons
Today’s job market has changed and not just because of the economy. Technology has taken hold of the relationship between job seekers and employers and how they interact with one another. It was customary to meet a potential new employer for the first time on an interview. Now, with the luxury of social media and other sites, employers are taking a closer look into who people really are and how they might represent their company even before an interview. Are you getting nervous about what you have posted on your Facebook page lately?
Recently, CareerBuilder produced a list of the funniest list of errors on resumes. One that stood out to me was a guy who’s email read: ***likesbeer@****.com. While that may be very accurate, that is not something you want to put on your resume unless you are interviewing with Anheuser Busch.
Before starting your job search here are some social media sites to visit:
- Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogs and Google+
- Sanitize it. What does that mean? Delete anything and everything you would not want your current employer, next employer or your grandmother to see.
- Block contributors who might say stupid/vulgar things on your pages.
- Twitter
- Review your posts and delete those that are considered offensive or generally irrelevant. Look at who you follow. You are known by the company you keep.
- Create a professional personal email address and use it for your job search. Do not use your current work email as current employers seldom find it amusing that you are searching for a job using their companies email system.
- Create a professional LinkedIn presence
- Ask co-workers and old bosses for recommendations.
- Read your blog posts
- See if you’re proud of them and adjust accordingly.
Employers today not only check references, but they check your online presence when considering whether to bring you on board and how much to pay you. Sanitizing and making yourself in person as well as online will lead to the best results in your career search.
Daniel C. Simmons is a Certified Personnel Consultant who has been recruiting since 1991. Dan has won over twenty awards in the last decade with the Top Echelon Network, America’s leading placement network including Placer of the Year in 2009 & 2010.
Frequently Dan also is a recruiter trainer and has been featured at various Top Echelon Conventions and online as a speaker for various webinars. He has also been published in The Fordyce Letter the recruiting industry’s #1 magazine.
Is Your Company Looking for Great Candidates? Contact Dan Today!
