Is Social Media Hurting Your Job Search?
Don't let Facebook be the reason you don't get a new job
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Never lie
A bank intern named Kevin learned the hard way that lying and social media are never a good mix. He sent an email out letting his bosses know that he had a family emergency in New York and needed to be out of the office for a few days. While he was gone, he posted pictures of himself on Facebook at a Halloween party, dressed in a fairy costume and holding a beer and a wand.
His boss, understandably unhappy, copied the fairy picture into an email and wrote him back saying “Hope everything is ok in New York. (cool wand).” He also copied the email to the entire company and then fired the intern. Not only did Kevin’s picture make the rounds on the Internet (which is pretty embarrassing), he also lost all credibility. No employer who knows about the story will ever believe him when he says he has a family emergency, even if it’s true.
He’s not the first person to get caught in a lie and definitely won’t be the last. But take a lesson from Kevin and don’t lie to your bosses. Social media makes it easier than ever to get caught.
Make your accounts private
A simple way to help keep your private life and public life separate is to make sure that all of your accounts are set to private. MySpace, Facebook and even Twitter all offer the option of keeping your personal information just that – personal. On Facebook and Twitter, you can click “settings” to make sure only your friends can see your Facebook page and your Twitter updates. On MySpace, your privacy settings can be changed by selecting “edit my profile,” “account settings,” and then “privacy”.
But it’s not 100 percent foolproof. Anything you post will still be seen by your friends, which can include co-workers and bosses. And these privacy settings can’t stop your friends from posting inappropriate comments and pictures on their public profiles about you. A British teen was fired after she updated her Facebook status to say “Bored at work.” Even though she never mentioned what company she worked for, it still was enough to get her canned. Making your account private is a great idea and can help keep your exploits hidden but isn’t a guarantee. It’s much better to just not post inappropriate things to begin with.
Google yourself from time to time
It’s a good idea to see how much of your personal information is out there. Occasionally searching for your name and nicknames is a good way for you to see exactly what an employer would see if they searched for you. Who knows? There may be an old account that needs to be shut down or maybe there is someone with the same name as you trolling the blogs. It’s better to know about any potentially harmful bits of info before a prospective employer sees them so you can address the problem properly. Even if you’re pretty sure you’re safe, it never hurts to check.
Remember, online privacy is an illusion
The Internet is forever. No matter how private you keep your settings, you always run the risk of a potential employer seeing something about you you’d rather have kept to yourself. What you consider a hilarious picture now may be embarrassing in five years. Not only that, but it could cost you a job. You want to put your best foot forward when trying to find a job, which means you’ll need to manage your online reputation now.
Join us on the social scene. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.
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