It’s a new year, a new you, and time for a new job. You contact employers, get some great leads, have an excellent interview, and then…nothing. What’s the deal, you wonder?
Maybe it’s your social media.
The way you show up in a Google search is how employers are going to view you, no matter how great you looked in that suit at your interview. This includes your Twitter account, your Facebook page, your LinkedIn, your YouTube channel, Instagram, and any of the multitude of ways you can pop up in a search. Go ahead, Google yourself!
So what can you do?
Take a look at your Facebook page the way an outsider will view it. Go to your Facebook profile and click the … icon on the right. Then click “view as”. This will show you how your page appears to the public. Need more help? Go to the ? icon at the top of your Facebook page and click “Timeline Privacy”. There, you will find details on how to make your page private.
What about the rest of your social media?
You can delete posts, but, as Google will tell you, the Internet is forever. Things that have been shared may still show up in searches.
Do your best to clean things up, post positive images, and move away from the past. Turn your social media into an asset! Use it as an opportunity to showcase your skills (but not beer pong), your talents, your volunteer work, and your community-mindedness.
Still wonder if employers are really checking up on you? Here’s a great article complete with stats on how often employers change their minds based on your social media.
