How to Tailor Your Social Media During Your Job Search
The hiring process has certainly changed with the rise of social media. The days of simply sending a resume and cover letter are over. Employers now not only view your social media platforms when considering you for an application, but many of them will also askfor direct links to your Facebook, Instagram, etc. If you are just beginning your career and job searching professionally for the first time, you may be a bit confused as to what is appropriate and what is not for perspective employers to view on your social media. We’ve compiled some quick few tips to help you tailor your feed to perfection.
Would your Mom be proud of each post?
A good rule of thumb when filtering through your Instagram or Facebook is to ask yourself if you would feel comfortable showing your pages to mentors, family members, or employers. While it might have been funny to post a picture doing a keg-stand junior year of college, employers don’t need to see every detail of your personality.
Introduce Yourself.
If you haven’t already, be sure to fill out any information about yourself. Facebook offers an “about” section, while Twitter and Instagram offer bios that give you the opportunity to provide a brief description about who you are and what you do. It is important to have these filled out, as it gives the employer an additional glimpse at your personality.
When All Else Fails, Go Private.
While we don’t recommend making your social media profiles completely private, if you feel it necessary you are certainly entitled to that! If you make the decision to keep things personal, be sure your bio and profile picture are appropriate. Again, it is important that the impression you are making is a good one!
You Got This!
Job hunting in general is intimidating, but don’t be too hard on yourself when adjusting your social media. It is important to keep it PG-13 but you don’t want to entirely lose yourself in doing so. Like all things in life, find a balance. Good luck and happy job hunting!
