Social media can be both your best friend and your worst enemy in your job search. Although it can be an extremely valuable tool for learning about vacancies and creating a professional personal brand for yourself, all of your job hunting efforts could be crushed if you present yourself poorly online.
Whereas sharing photos from a crazy night out might seem like a bit of fun between your friends, an employer might not see it that way; so it’s essential that you censor what you post on social media and who can see it.
Here are just a handful of some of the worst things you can post on social media as a job seeker! Are you guilty of any of these?!
1) Unprofessional photos
I’m afraid I don’t think potential employers will see the funny side of a photo that shows you drunkenly slumped at the side of the road… or sporting a mankini.
2) Bad language
Painting yourself as a polite and approachable individual in all of your job applications and then swearing like a trucker all over social media is probably a tad counterproductive.
3) Negative remarks about a past/current employer or colleague
Did something get a bee in your bonnet at work? It can be tempting to use social media to vent, but employers will be looking out for this kind of thing, so avoid the public bad-mouthing!
4) Reference to illegal activity
FYI bragging about drug use, anti-social behavior, etc. is more likely to land you a spell in prison than a new job!
5) Controversial comments
Expressing strong political views or controversial opinions can be dangerous. It’s likely that a lot of people may not agree with what you are saying and it’s possible that someone may take offense.
6) Whinging and whining
Nobody wants to work with a moaning Myrtle! They bring the mood down in the workplace and can be impossible to please. So if you’re using social media to complain about every little thing that’s ticked you off each day, think about how it’s portraying you as a person.
7) Comments and tags from other people
We’ve all got that one friend who loves to tag us in awful photos or is forever posting inappropriate links on our Facebook page! If you’re at risk of them tarnishing your reputation, make sure you change your settings so that you have to approve tags or ask them to stop altogether.
8) Posting hastily
Posting carelessly when you’re in a hurry or getting excitable can lead to spelling/grammatical errors and poor judgment. Before posting something on social media make sure you read it through.
9) Outing yourself
Bragging about skiving off work to go on a jolly or making a joke out of being late for work for the third time in a week doesn’t really scream star employee!
10) Not posting anything at all
No social presence at all can sometimes be as bad as a poor one! In this day and age job seekers are expected to be in touch with the latest technology and be proactive about creating a personal brand for themselves.
