Employers stalk your social media and not just your LinkedIn.
It is very easy to get a sense of who you are by stalking your social media. You have probably put all the right information on your LinkedIn then forgotten all your other social media accounts. You’re probably private but accept everyone and anyone so information can still be seen and tracked. Let’s not forget that the internet never forgets so at the end of the day you will never be a ghost on social media as long as you have posted at any point.
1. They will check how you describe yourself
Do you know how every social media platform has an “about me” part? If you opened your Facebook account when you were 15, you probably mentioned how much you loved the mall and cartoons, now that you’re an adult you need to update your profile and ask yourself “what would an employer think?” if they saw this? They will want to know if who you have described yourself on the CV and the person that you wrote about on the page actually match. They will also be checking your grammar because this shows the level of seriousness you actually give yourself as a person. If you can give out a professional and authentic look on social media then you’re more likely to be serious as a person, which is a great thing.
2. Who do you follow?
Yes, trust that there’s someone who will have the time to check the pages and people you follow. They will probably be looking to see if you actually follow serious people or companies that are in line with your career. Following others in your industry is a smart thing to do no matter what, watching their feeds can give you a scoop on a new job opening, company announcements, the latest tech and much more. If the only people you’re following are musicians and love& hip hop then you’re not someone who will appear to be serious and that’s just the reality.
3. Photos and captions
What do you post under photos when you post them? Using bad language to describe yourself like ” bad gyal b**tch” won’t cut it. Do you say inspirational things? do you post with purpose? What kind of photos do you post? Do they make you look unserious and like a teenager? Be very careful what you post, if you keep posting photos of you out in the club with booze and shisha then a hirer will most likely assume that you will spend most of your time out and perceive you as unserious.
4. Where have you been tagged?
What kind of posts do people tag you in? This tells a lot about you because if the only posts you’re tagged in are of the next party coming or of you drunk on a couch somewhere then there’s a problem. Always tell people to not tag you in things that can ruin your reputation.
5. The posts people post on your wall if it’s on Facebook
What kind of posts do people publish on your wall? And what’s your response? Limit vulgar language at all times, don’t post useless memes and never post anything sexual. Remember that your social media profiles open doors to other opportunities.