Last week’s party pictures may be more than embarrassing. They could impact your chances in the job market.
Employers have open access to-and are using-more information than ever before. Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs, newspaper archives and some courts records are all available online at no charge to employers. YouTube can provide an employer with an eyeful of impressions that can contradict even the most polished resume.
According to an article posted by Oregonbusinessreport.com in August 2009, a CareerBuilder survey found that 45 percent of employers used social networking sites to screen candidates. That number had jumped 23 percent from the previous year. Employers found both positive and negative information about the candidates. In some cases, a candidate has shown creativity, communication skills, or feedback from others that has helped them land the job. In other cases, photos, comments or poor communication skills dissuaded an employer from hiring that candidate.
The bottom line is that employers can access online information readily including what you do in your leisure time, who you choose to associate with, and, in part, what your history is. It’s almost impossible to know whether you’ve been overlooked for an interview or a job based on what an employer has seen online. So the safest guideline is to make sure your online profile is one that you want to be seen. It pays to search yourself online to be familiar with the information that may be available to potential employers. Before you hit that “post” button, really think about who will see it-not necessarily today or tomorrow, but in the future you’re trying to improve.
(Source: Jennifer Stallsmith-FreshStart)
