Jobseekers: Clean up your social media for the New Year!

Managing your online reputation is increasingly important, especially if you are actively searching for a new role in the job market. Christmas can be a great time to take stock & review your social media presence especially if you are planning a job hunt in the new year.

With everyone active in the world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, you have an online footprint that follows wherever you go and one that can, unfortunately be detrimental to your professional reputation if you’re not careful. Here's our top tips for tidying up your social profiles:

• • Give your digital footprint a ‘spring clean’. Google yourself and find out what employers can see. Take the opportunity to clean up unwanted photos and embarrassing status updates.
  • Think carefully about your privacy settings on social networks. A potential employer isn’t likely to be impressed by your drunken photos from your New Year's Eve night out with friends.
  • Be careful about the things you say online. Foul language and tweeting about your '2-day hangover' is unlikely to be what a prospective employer is looking for. If you can’t resist, then make your accounts private and leave this type of thing off LinkedIn.
  • You may wish to hide personal details and information that you have public on your social media profiles; it is illegal for employers to make decisions in the hiring process based on your gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or any other information, so don’t leave yourself open to any kind of discrimination.
  • Choose a profile photo that reflects the professional and sensible side of you, not a photo that reflects your wild side on a messy night out... especially on LinkedIn.
  • Don't speak negatively about your current or previous employers. So you’ve had a bad day at work? Turning to your social media account to vent your anger is not the solution. You never know who might see this and you don’t want potential employers to think you'll do the same about their company should they hire you.

Our top tips on using social media to benefit your job search:

• • Use your social channels to 'like' and 'follow' companies or connect and interact with influencers who work in the industry you’d like to get into. This is a great way to show recruiters and employers that you’re engaging with relevant people in your sector.
  • Keep an eye out for vacancy updates in your field and with companies that you are interested in working for, as companies often use social media to advertise their job vacancies.
  • Use your social channels to network with people in the industry you want to work in and engage with prospective employers to show you’re taking an interest in their business and what they do.
  • Connect with and follow recruitment consultants who tend to share useful advice for job seekers such as CV writing tips, interview advice and how to manage job offers.
  • Use social media (especially LinkedIn) to let people know that you’re searching for new opportunities. A connection may know about a job opening that you don’t or be able to point you in the right direction to leverage your search.
  • Use your Twitter and LinkedIn accounts to share and comment on relevant industry news. Social media can be a really powerful tool to build your personal brand and it’s also a great platform for showing employers that you are commercially aware, making you a much more attractive candidate.