How to impress employers through Facebook

GONE are the days when job hunting and employment involved handing out or scanning through stacks of printed resumes. In today’s digitally connected world both prospective employees and employers are increasingly using social media as a employment platform, and Facebook is no exception.

Research has shown that 75 per cent of all recruiters have examined potential candidates on social networks. Unfortunately there are many young people who do not realise how to properly utilise the platform, or that their current Facebook profile could be jeopardising their ‘hire-ability’.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology revealed that Facebook profiles are excellent indicators of job performance, as a 10 minute review of a profile can provide a potential employer with valuable insight regarding the applicant’s personality and proficiency.

Therefore, job seekers should insure that they are presenting themselves in the best possible light.

Therefore, job seekers should insure that they are presenting themselves in the best possible light. Here are some tips to help you positively utilise Facebook.

1. Signing up and remaining active on Facebook is important. If you do not have a Facebook account and do not post regularly you will appear irrelevant to potential employers. Most people are using Facebook to conduct business and to network. An inactive or half-completed profile might also suggest that you have something to hide.

2. Install job or career related applications, such as BeKnown and BranchOut, which connects users to a massive database of job and internship postings.

3. Take control of your timeline by activating the ‘Timeline Review’ and ‘Tag Review’ options. This will enable you to approve or reject all photo tags and wall posts, thus preventing any embarrassing or incriminating information from being published on your wall. It is also suggested that you manually restrict specific groups of people from viewing your individual timeline posts.

4. Don’t post anything that you would not want your potential and/or current employers to see. This includes party (or any unfavorable) photos, racist, sexists or insensitive comments. Also, evaluate the groups and applications that you might have liked or downloaded. Delete and unlike any vulgar, distasteful, offensive and unfavorable ones.

5. Share some professional content on your Facebook page, some inspirational quotes by business leaders and other prominent individuals. By doing so, you’ll appear more knowledgeable, relevant and interesting to employers. But also remember to keep your posts authentic and and personal.