Social Media: Helping or Hurting your Job Search?

Remember when you applied for a job, you would scan advertisements in the newspaper searching for a position that you were interested in? Then, you would submit a well-written cover letter and your resume to the address in the ad. If you were qualified, a recruiter or human resources associate would contact you as the next step to schedule an interview. If you were being considered for the position, the company would ask you for references. Once those references were checked out, and were to the satisfaction of the hiring company, they would then proceed by sending you an offer letter.

Jump ahead to 2017: you see a job posting online you would like to apply for, you submit a resume immediately through the website, or apply online. A recruiter or hiring manager will review your resume and then do a quick Google search to see if they can find your social media footprint.  They want to see: How searchable are you? Who do you know? What level of engagement do you have on social media? Can they get a read on your personality, will you fit into the culture at this company? Do your initial credentials check out? Are there any red flags that come up in your search results?

Chances are all of this has happened before you even get a phone screening, so how do you strike the correct balance in managing your social media image? This article. Is your social media presence hurting your job search?, shares some great tips on how to navigate through your social media channels.