Social Media:
Make or Break Your Career
Social Media started in the early 2000’s has surged in popularity in the last decade. In 2019, an estimate of 81 percent of Americans owned a social media account (Sreenivasan). Current college students have been exposed to social media at young age and have been able to evolve with the latest social media advances. Because social media is always innovating and evolving, it is important to stay informed of updates and how to utilize the available tools for the most effective results. For many college students, especially juniors and seniors, the desired results are getting hired for a job after graduation. Social media can impact the result both positively and, or negatively depending on a person’s online choices. It is no secret that once you post online it is there forever, and potentially visible to future employers. In the same way that using social media could hurt you in finding a job, there are numerous ways that social media will truly aid you while searching for a job or internship. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of your online presence and digital footprint because it could determine if you get the career of your dreams.
Networking through Social Media
One way that using social media can help you in your job search is through online networking. Social media networking is effective in creating relationships and building professional social bonds, which often can lead to new opportunities. 70 percent of employers surveyed said they use social networking sites to research job candidates. 43 percent of them said that they saw something that caused them to hire candidates, while 57 percent have uncovered postings that caused them not to hire (Tarpey). While posting inappropriately on social media will hurt you in a job search, not being present online can hurt you as well. 47 percent of surveyed employers say that they are less likely to call someone in for an interview if they can’t find that person online (Tarpey). Employers want to get to know interviewees through online platforms and may often expect you to be active online. Social media allows people to connect with each other around the world instantly and share our professional accomplishments on sites like LinkedIn.
LinkedIn specifically is a good platform for career development and displaying professional assets. LinkedIn has over 500 million users and is a great tool for expanding your network of employers and other professionals within your relevant career industry. LinkedIn is highly suggested to college students because the program works best when it is used as a career management tool rather than only job searching (Sreenivasan). This means you should be posting academic and professional experiences and accomplishments. Your LinkedIn profile is essentially a website to showcase all you have completed in your career development in order to create possible connections. You can also follow companies and share relevant industry articles that interest you. It is favorable to professionals to see that you are engaging in industry content and news as both a college student and as a potential candidate for a job (Sreenivasan).
Using Social Media in Your Career
Using social media within your career helps promote your personal brand to employers and other professionals. You can use various social media accounts such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. to interact, educate, and excel within your career industry. Building a strong and consistent social media presence is important in catching the attention of potential employers and setting yourself apart from others (Lock). You can do this by staying engaged with news and content regarding your career industry and companies you would like to work for. Follow company social media accounts and like, comment, and share content posted by professionals or companies. Engaging with employers shows your interest and loyalty to the company and brand. Posting and sharing content that is related to your professional work, development, and industry interests shows employers that those aspects are important to you in your personal life, and may even be the reason you are selected for a job position (Tarpey).
Think Before You Post !
Internet users leave a trail of internet activity information called digital footprints. These footprints can be searched and shared and is largely visible to employers, or anyone for that matter, and they are always a part of you (Registry Partners). A survey found that around two-thirds of the employers claim to conduct google searches on job applicants (Wolf). If you are looking for a job and active on social media, always consider the possibility that employers will look into your social media content. According to the survey, companies particularly look for red flags on social media accounts such as, inappropriate photos, criminal behavior, drug or irresponsible alcohol use, discriminatory race, religious or gender remarks. They also pay attention to if you have posted or talked badly about past employers (Wolf). It is important to keep an appropriate stature on social media and to remember not to post it if you would not be comfortable with anyone or everyone seeing or reading it. A consumer tech expert explains, "If you have to think twice about something, then you shouldn't post it. If you feel comfortable with any post being put up as a billboard in Times Square, then it is acceptable" (Wolf). This is a good rule to live by when posting content on your various accounts, as Times Square is about as public as content can get.
Make sure that you pay attention to your social media content even after being hired or employed at a job for a period of time. Just because you are hired does not mean that you can post inappropriate content. Nearly 50 percent of surveyed employers claim that they monitor their employees’ social media accounts regularly (Wolf). Employers want to hire and keep workers who uphold personal integrity and professionalism. The survey also says that about a third of employers have fired or disciplined employees for personal social media content (Wolf). Do not let a careless social media post wreck your job and professional plans. Social media can both help and hurt your future and current career prospects, so always remember to think before you post and use common sense when posting!
References
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Lock, C. (2020, February 28). How to Create a Personal Brand that Enhances Your Job Search. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-personal-brand-to-enhance-your-job-search-v2/
Matthew Tarpey | August 9, 2. (2018). Not getting job offers ? Your social media could be the reason. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/not-getting-job-offers-your-social-media-could-be-the-reason
Registry Partners. (2019, January 04). Social Media Etiquette: Why Your Digital Footprint Matters. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.registrypartners.com/social-media-etiquette-digital-footprint-matters/
Sreenivasan, S. (2019). How to Use Social Media in Your Career. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/guides/business/social-media-for-career-and-business
Wolf, C. (2018, August 10). Hunting for a job? Be careful what you post. Retrieved September 10, 2020, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hunting-for-a-job-be-careful-what-you-post/