For many, the start of a new year
means the start of a new job search using the internet
to research employers. For up coming college graduates
in particular, it is opportunity to get a head start
in getting their careers off the ground using online
resources. At the same time, many employers are also
researching potential job candidates through
Google, Myspace.com and Facebook.com and
what they are finding could be used as reasons not
to hire you.
A recent poll conducted for Careerbuilder.com
showed that 26 percent of hiring managers
admitted to using the Internet to perform background
checks on job candidates. A further 12 percent
admitted to using social networking sites such as
MySpace.com and Facebook.com as a screening tool.
For many college students, social
networking sites such as Facebook.com and Myspace.com
are a core part of their cyber profile used for networking.
However, many students are surprised to learn that
their candid and sometimes sexually explicit photos
and the details of their drinking and dating lives
in their profiles can negatively affect their
job search. Those disparaging comments, risqué
photos, inappropriate language and lewd jokes posted
on their profiles could be viewed as a reflection
of their character by a potential employer.
According to an HR director, people
should carefully consider their potential audience
and the impression they may have based on your pictures,
personal opinions, and ideas posted online. “We
were in the process of extending an offer to a great
candidate, until his myspace.com page was brought
to our attention. He had a great resume, went to an
elite school and had impeccable references. However,
our review of his myspace profile highlighted his
recreational drug use. This made us immediately reconsider
hiring him,” says an HR Director for a financial
services company in Toronto, Ontario. “Our company
is very conscious of client relations and our public
image and we could not risks this candidate’s
background being taken as a reflection of organization.
“
A recent poll of Resume Solutions
student clients showed that over 60% of the
respondents were unaware that their profiles on social
networking websites could be viewed by potential employers.
This is surprising, despite the increased media attention
focused on employers reviewing Myspace and Facebook
prior to making hiring decisions.
Prior to starting a new job search, it is recommended
that job seekers perform a Google search on their
names to find out what a potential employer may read
or see about them online. If any questionable content
is discovered, content you would not feel comfortable
if an employer or your parents view, then request
that the site’s webmaster remove it immediately.
Questionable content may include
nude photos, slanderous comments or photographs that
show you in inappropriate situations. Keep in mind
you may encounter resistance in getting the content
removed, however, you can let them know that they
may be affecting your future job prospects and you
may have no choice but to seek legal recourse. For
that information, absolutely you cannot have removed
due to lack of control, construct a plausible answer
to counter or explain away to a hiring manager.
We are not advocating that social
networking sites are to be used solely for job searching
or building a web portfolio of your resume and job
skills, but it makes sense to remove as much
of the negative content about yourself as is possible.
You should be smart and discreet in your online communications
and consider creating private profiles for just your
family members and friends.
There are many ways to create a “positive cyber
profile” that does not affect your career prospects.
College students can create personal web pages and
profiles at social networking sites that include their
resumes, hobbies and interests, details on leadership
activities or academic successes. You can also include
photos of yourself but ensure they do not
include explicit materials. Job seekers can
use their online profiles to demonstrate their excellent
communication skills, establish a professional image
of themselves prior to an in-person meeting, demonstrate
their creativity and diverse interest – things
that can set them apart from other job seekers.
As more and more users flock to social networking
sites, the affect these sites have on the job search
and candidate screening may include employers going
even deeper into candidate’s personal and professional
lives. It is therefore advisable to put nothing
online that have the potential to hurt your future
job prospects and include anything that would
help you in landing a new job. Use common sense when
creating an online profile.
Remember that employers who do online searches
are looking for reasons not to hire you.
