Time for some social-media spring cleaning
Oh $#!t, swearing on social media could bar you from future employment. YouGov research found one in five employers reported rejecting a candidate after viewing unfavorable online posts.
Over 2000 business managers were surveyed regarding their new employee hiring decisions in relation to social media accounts.
Reasons for disqualification
While 31 percent said they won’t or don’t check candidates’ social media, that leaves a huge chunk of managers who do. About half reported checking LinkedIn and Facebook, while only 28 percent look at Twitter, 15 percent Instagram, and somehow five percent check Myspace, which apparently still exists.
Five percent of respondents also said they check Tumblr and Flickr, although it’s easier for people to remain incognito with those platforms.
The most off-putting offense? 75 percent said aggressive or offensive language on a candidate’s social media activity could stop someone from getting hired. That even beats out the 71 percent who said references to drug use would potentially bar a candidate from employment.
Bad spelling and grammar came in third, with 56 percent reporting failing to grasp the English language could damage a candidate’s reputation. Somehow poor writing skills beat out people posting drunken photos, with 47 percent of managers saying this would hurt a candidate’s chances.
29 percent view candidates who overshare or post political views unfavorably, and 26 percent would ding you for posting too many pictures of yourself.
Online you matters
Large organizations said they were likelier to turn down a candidate after checking out their online activity. Over a quarter of large companies said they have turned down candidates after checking online activity, while only 11 percent of small companies said the same.
Although this is in no way a majority, there’s still a chance companies you’re applying to will check your social media accounts.
Even if you aren’t flat out rejected for questionable posts on accounts, your online presence could still affect how a potential employer views you.
Not an absolute
Although company culture varies greatly, especially in cities like Austin where tech startups are more lenient, it’s still good practice to consider the impression you’re making online.
Set your accounts to private, make a separate personal account, or just control yourself while you’re on the job hunt.
#Swear
