Social media continues to develop as a recruitment tool and provide an increasingly important professional networking platform. LinkedIn for example has grown to be one of the largest platforms for job seekers, employers, and recruiters from around the world with a massive 766 million users.
Alexandra Anderson, Senior IT Talent Acquisition Specialist at Greys Recruitment says, ‘Recruiters, employers and HR Managers DO in fact look at your social media activity. It provides us with some insight in order to gauge what you are like as a person. We use social media and your online presence to get a better understanding of who you are, rather than just your experience and qualifications.’
We live in an increasingly digital world and almost everyone has a digital footprint that can often go back many years. A large percentage of recruiters and hiring managers use platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, not only to recruit their staff but also to better understand the candidate’s suitability for a role. It is important to manage your image carefully as many recruiters have not recruited candidates based on what they have seen on social media profiles.
A few reasons why applicants have not been considered for jobs:
- Posting inappropriate photos and comments.
- Inferior communication and writing skills.
- Making negative, discriminatory or offensive comments about people or cultural groups.
- Images or videos showing the candidate under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Negative commentary posted about a previous employer.
Your personal brand
Social media usage is a huge part of your personal brand and an excellent way to showcase your skills and passions which can help you get noticed by employers. You can utilize it as a platform to provide you with an opportunity to show off your skills, interests and technical ability.
- Looking for a job in marketing or creative industries? – Employers want to see that you can create your own content, use a range of software and brand yourself well.
- A job in Finance or Banking? – Employers want to see that you are familiar with, and commenting intelligently on industry information. They also want to see your social network and the contacts you can bring to their company.
- Interested in a job at a craft beer brewery, fashion or a specialized industry? – Employers want to see that you are interested in the latest trends, techniques and will be an advocate for their brand.
Have you considered blogging or starting your own website to supplement your social media presence? Participation in LinkedIn and Facebook’s groups that focus on your industry is also important. Recruiters often use the web to headhunt for roles that they are recruiting for.
Play your cards right and you might even end up being contacted for a job without even looking. Try having a look at people who inspire you or that work in your industry to see how they communicate online as well as how they brand themselves. Reasons why applicants have been considered more highly for jobs:
- They gave a positive impression of their personality and how they present themselves.
- Their profile supported their professional qualifications.
- They showed great communication skills and creativity.
- They were endorsed by other social media users.
- Showed candidate interacted with high profile industry contacts and had great references.
From the above information, you can already see how important it is to be mindful of how you present yourself on social media platforms. Is there a science to setting up your social media profiles? Not really – but think about it from an employer’s points of view. Is what I am showcasing online good enough? Would I hire me if I saw myself online?
Time for a digital spring clean?
Make sure you do an online audit of yourself and clean up ALL of your online profiles. Give your name a google and start running through your social profiles to check your digital footprint. You will be surprised about how much information is visible.
Also consider your privacy settings and who can see your profile. If you do not feel comfortable sharing on certain networks, make sure they are limited to your friends only. Recruiters are using social media more and more, and based on your presence online, they are determining whether or not you will be a suitable future candidate. Make sure you show your best self and it will help you get ahead of the rest.
Looking for a job?
Please visit the Greys Recruitment jobseeker page, and upload your C.V to our nationwide database! Should a potential job offer open, and you are considered, we will contact you!
Looking for staff?
Let our dedicated and hardworking team of consultants find you the perfect candidate. Please visit our employer page and inform us what you are looking for! Rooted firmly in the solid foundation of the Measured Ability Group of Companies (MASA), Greys Recruitment and Greys Nursing Services have been trusted as industry leaders in the recruitment sector for over 40 years. We have offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Durban.
