Following on from our guide to using LinkedIn, PA Life considers the impact our social networking posts have on career development. Most of us use social networks, both for career networking and also as a light-hearted way of keeping in touch with friends. But have you Googled yourself lately? Or checked that your Facebook profile or recent Twitter entries are respectable enough that a prospective employer would approve?
Almost two-thirds (65%) of HR professionals believe it is appropriate to consider personal online reputational information (increasingly known as a person’s “Net Rep”) when evaluating potential employees. Yet according to the Digital Literacy Report, one in four single British adults admitting there are pictures of themselves online that they wouldn’t want their bosses or colleagues to see. What’s more, over a quarter of 18 to 35-year-olds admit they have posted inappropriate content on services such as Facebook or Twitter that they have later gone on to regret.
Be aware
Clarity PR has looked at social media sites to find that more than one job applicant is unsuitable. “One woman’s CV said she’d got a 2.1, whereas her online profile made reference to her having dropped out of university. How could anyone trust her?” the firm says. “Another time, we Googled a job applicant and some ‘glamour’ photos popped up. I wouldn’t have turned her down on the grounds of this, but I asked her about it and it transpired she wasn’t really committed to working in an office. She was looking to fill some time before becoming a model or actress.”
People looking for work often go to significant effort to ensure they present the best possible image to the employer; painstakingly finessing their CV, reading books on how to succeed at interviews, researching for pertinent questions to ask the prospective employer and purchasing a smart new suit. However all this effort is wasted if embarrassing or inappropriate social media posts or pictures have already ruined their chances of getting the job.
Online information is a vast resource, updated with more than 55 million pieces of data every day. This resource can reveal all sorts of sensitive information – marital status, sexual orientation, political views – which may not be a cause for concern unless it conflicts with the information on your cv. Employers can access this information without breaking the law as it is in the public arena, but HR managers nearly always go further and search blogs and sites like Facebook or even YouTube. They are aware that the CV presents a sanitised version of an applicant and may be over-exaggerated, so they search online to gain a much deeper insight into the lifestyle of the applicant and make a judgement on their suitability for a position.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), doesn’t approve of HR managers snooping around in the virtual world and feels that they are not operating in the social networking space in a professional manner. “There are professional networking sites such as LinkedIn that have been created for the purposes of the work arena and that’s what we think they should be using. But like it or not, they do use Facebook – and if they find a picture of a job applicant wanting to work in occupational health, but guzzling down lots of sangria on a beach in Spain, you can understand why they probably won’t get a look in.”
The organisation’s biggest concern is that people “seem to be incontinent when it comes to online communication. I would say that, every time you post online, think about your boss reading it.”
Personal branding
So if you are using social networking sites, don’t be naïve; whether you’re already in a job or looking for a new one, your online profile is essentially your personal brand and you should protect and promote it at all times to avoid putting yourself at a disadvantage later.
Test out your own digital reputation immediately, suggests LinkedIn. If you Google your name, the chances are you’ll find your own profile on a couple of social networks. This is good in the modern environment where interaction in online networking is increasingly necessary and even expected in some roles. But without careful management, it may not be so good if your employer – or a prospective employer – is checking you out.
