Using Facebook for Job Search

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Job seekers often tell me that they prefer to avoid Facebook as a job search tool. I hear about fears of compromised privacy and concerns about how would-be employers might interpret the images, comments and postings on their page.

It’s hard to blame them for being cautious, after hearing all the reports media about job seekers who have lost opportunities because of thoughtless Facebook mistakes. 

How popular is Facebook?

In October 2012, social media history was made when Mark Zuckerberg proudly posted the following status update:

While very impressive, 1 billion users only represent 14 percent of the world population; in North America, however, over 52 percent of ALL Canadians and Americans are Facebook users.

This stunning fact is not missed by employers. An increasing number of them are turning to Facebook to actively recruit or, at least, gather information about candidates. As shown on this Infographic, a study conducted by Reppler (an online service that monitors social media) revealed that 76% of recruiters and hiring managers have screened candidates specifically on Facebook.

Isn’t Facebook risky for job search?

The simple answer is YES. 69% of recruiters surveyed by Reppler admitted that they have rejected a candidate based on something they saw on their social media profile.

These include mistakes such as:

• dishonesty or negative comments about previous employers
• inappropriate photos and comments
• references to drugs or alcohol
• poor communication skills (grammar, spelling)
• making discriminatory comments about others.

So, why use Facebook at all?

Employers are more likely to hire a candidate if they can find positive information about them.

In the struggle faced by job seekers to reveal a more complete picture of themselves to potential employers as likeable, interesting and compatible, job seekers who either choose to make their profile totally private, or opt out of using it at all, are at a disadvantage.

This is backed up by the Reppler study, which also revealed that about most (68%) of potential employers chose to hire a candidate, based on characteristics found on their profile.

These include:

• positive personality traits (optimism, sociability)
• professionalism and respectability
• creativity
• strong communication skills
• being “well rounded” (having a range of various interests).

Facebook offers job seekers a unique opportunity to showcase their personality traits, strengths, professional and personal interests that would make them stand out as unique and impressive to potential employers.

This does not mean that all posts should be publicly visible — Facebook allows for users to choose which posts and photos are public and to keep the others private. Job seekers can selectively share a few key posts which demonstrate the characteristics they chose to share. For example, a job seeker who is looking for work as an Architect may choose to post samples of work, or to discuss newspaper articles about new developments in the city, to show interest in the field.

Employers are increasingly interested in hiring people who know how to use social media well.

Many jobs require people to use social media, or at least understand it well. Facebook, in particular, has become an increasingly popular branding tool for many companies, and these employers might expect staff to be able to use and understand it.

Also, as the Reppler study revealed, companies understand that their employees are using Facebook in their personal lives, and they are interested in making sure that they will not represent the company badly. So a candidate who can demonstrate appropriate behaviour on Facebook would be considered an asset.

Facebook tips for job seekers:

DO:

• Use Facebook. Do it with care, balancing private and public posts.
• Be interesting, thoughtful, sociable.
• Use good grammar and spelling.
• Like and interact with company pages on Facebook.
• Share interesting (and interested) posts that reveal your professional interests.
• Share personal achievements, such as sports, volunteering or causes.

BE CAREFUL:

• Don’t get too comfortable; always be on guard for how you and your friends represent you.
• Remember that employers may be watching — even your most private posts could be made visible.
• Don’t do business on Facebook: if you want to connect with someone regarding your career, rather connect via LinkedIn.
• Use your real name and photo – if you plan to be seen by employers.

HOW TO: Impress employers online

In my work with job searchers, I am often surprised to find that many have not considered the possibility that it is very likely that employers will search for them on Google.  Many job seekers admit to have never Googled themselves, to find out what they look like, and seem almost offended by the notion that employers might be seeking information about candidates beyond that which has been supplied in resumes and references.

In our daily lives, when faced with a decision about a new product/service, most of us turn to Google or other search engines to gain information. We are curious to see how it is portrayed and what others might say about it; we don’t necessarily trust the advertising and want to make an independent and informed decision about what is best for us.

Job searchers are encouraged to look up employers before applying for a job or attending an interview. A search on Google can produce interesting information about a company – perhaps a newspaper report about problems with the company, or, on the positive side – inclusion in a “best employers” list. If the company cannot be found online, or if their website looks weak, job searchers might conclude that the company is outdated, out of touch with customers, or struggling financially.

It would be reasonable, then, to assume that employers would do the same. In a survey of employers, Reppler, a social media monitoring service, found that more than 90% of employers turn to the Internet to find more information about candidates, at all stages of the hiring process, and that their decisions are significantly influenced by what they find online, good and bad.

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Do you know what employers might find, when they search for you online? Google yourself, and look through the results carefully – check through the images, websites, blogs that appear, and identify which of these scenarios best describes what you find:

a.  You are not easy to find. There are some images and links of people who share your name, and not all are respectable, and it is hard to tell whether the person who is found is actually you.

b.  You are nowhere to be found. At most, there’s a Facebook page which is completely private, but otherwise, you seem invisible online.

c.  You ARE easy to find, but it doesn’t look so good.  There are uncomplimentary or even embarrassing photos, Facebook/YouTube/blog comments, tweets, mentions, karaoke videos or mentions in less than professional contexts.

d. It is easy to find you, and you look impressive. Your LinkedIn profile appears at the top of the search, as well as your membership in a professional association, there’s possibly a video of you participating in an athletic event, an image of you in a graduating class photo from 5 years ago, or a mention of you in a fundraising event.

If you found a, b or c, your challenge is to work on carefully crafting your own online image, through thoughtful and informed use the many free social media tools available on the Internet. In previous blog posts, we have outlined how LinkedIn and Twitter may be used to create a professional image, which will convey the best and most suitable message for employers to find. Even Facebook, which has developed a reputation as a job killer, can be used as a very effective self marketing tool, if the content and privacy settings are carefully controlled.

When using social media, remember that employers might be unforgiving. Be careful about what you say and do online; keep in mind that potential employers will judge your:

• language (swearing, being negative or mean, bullying)
• spelling and grammar
• photos, including the profile image
• friends and associations
• activities (too much drinking or partying?)

Most effectively, make sure that you have something positive and impressive to show to those who are searching for you online. If you are not working right now, engage in activities which you can show off, such as volunteering, taking a course and hobbies, such as athletics or the creative arts. Don’t be shy to share your achievements, past and present — seek out recommendations on LinkedIn from those who can speak well about you and your work. Use social media to share interesting thoughts, ideas and insights, and link up with friends and organisations that reflect well on you and your professional interests.

Bottom line:

1. Search for yourself online regularly and become familiar with what employers might find.
2. Influence what people will find online about you, through careful use of social media.
3. Watch your language and behaviour online, as well as that of people with whom you are associated.
4. Involve yourself in positive activities, and make sure to share them online.

With so much of the discussion online focusing on the drawbacks and risks of social media, it isn’t surprising that you may be nervous to get online. The fact is, though, that with the risks, there are also some exciting opportunities for job seekers to create and project a positive online image, which could go a long way to persuade potential employers that you might just be that perfect next employee which they seek.

Power up your job search, using LinkedIn

Since launching in 2003, LinkedIn has grown into the largest online professional networking site, with over 120 million members worldwide, including over 4 million in Canada. As economic changes have happened globally, and with the increasing use of the Internet as a job search tool, LinkedIn is acknowledged as a leader in connecting job seekers to potential employers, with nearly two billion people searches in 2010.

What are the benefits of LinkedIn for the average job searcher, then?

First, it allows you to connect with people who may be in a position to help promote your career. Remember – it’s not only what you know, or who you know; these days, it’s who knows you that matters!

Second, by setting up a strong and impressive LinkedIn profile, you are showcasing your social media skills; your social media savvy-ness might be helpful to convince employers that you have up-to-date abilities.

Also, a complete profile on LinkedIn will show up in the top results of a Google search that an employer might conduct.  It will help you control your online image, and override anything else that might appear about you online.

Finally, it is a great source of  up-to-date information and insights about jobs, companies and trends. You  can learn about companies, read up on trends and join discussions with like-minded professionals in your field.

Here are some steps to help you set up and begin using your profile on LinkedIn:

1. Prepare – set aside some time to put together your profile. Have the following ready:

• You will need an updated resume, which is complete, well worded and accurate, and includes a well written profile summary
• Prepare a list of key words that describe your most relevant skills and achievements; the best source of these skills is from online job postings – have a look at the qualifications employers are requesting and use the SPECIFIC words that they list. Remember that LinkedIn, Google and the rest of the Internet is key word driven – if you don’t use the specific words needed to describe your abilities, you will not be found in a search
• Prepare a profile photo to upload – keep it simple and professional
• Be willing to access your email address book, from which you will download your contacts to connect with them

2. Complete your LinkedIn profile – your goal is to eventually achieve a 100% Completeness 

• Add your jobs and education — include jobs from the last 10-15 years of work, or even more. Use the correct job titles and company names. Include a relevant description of what you did in each job — cut and paste, or retype data from your resume – you will find that uploading your resume doesn’t work
• Upload your profile photo — images are very useful to validate your profile; profiles without photos tend to be perceived as either fake, or simply incomplete
• Connect with people – be open to invite as many people as you know and accepting invitations from a range of people; generally, it’s better to have more contacts rather than less. You never know who might know someone (or something) that may be of use to you. Make sure not to send out mass invitations, and that each invitation is personalised, including a brief reminder about how you know that person
• Seek out recommendations – start with offering to write recommendations first, if that helps

3. Use your profile to meet your goals – don’t just set it up and walk away:

• Set out to connect with and meet new people – expand your network through joining groups and participating in discussions, online and in person networking sessions
• Job Search on LinkedIn – the job search tool is excellent and will help you discover who is hiring and whether you know anyone who can recommend you to a job
• Identify a list of target companies, seek them out on LinkedIn and follow them to see who they hire and for what positions
• Update your status – share interesting articles and keep your contacts updated about your activities – stay positive and upbeat, but make sure they know that you are looking for work.

As with any job search tool, LinkedIn is only as effective as the amount of time and effort you put into it. Make sure to keep using it, consistently staying in touch with your contacts, reaching out to new people and companies, as well as join networks and discussions.  By harnessing the power of the most up to date job search tool available, and using it well, you will be showing employers that you have the cutting edge skills they need for a changing economy.

Social Media and the Workforce

In an increasingly digital world, many of us have decided to join the social media bandwagon and have created profiles on networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

There is no doubt that there is an importance of social media to increase your online visibility, but it is just as important to remember to create boundaries between your personal and professional online activities.

So how do you integrate the two effectively and efficiently without running into grey areas?

All the above mentioned networking sites can be useful in your job search, but don’t forget that many companies that are interested in you for a position will likely perform an online search of your name to see what kind of information comes up. Remember this key fact when you’re posting pictures and updates on your profile pages. A potential employer may not think that you and your friends slinging back shots at that birthday party is the image that they want their new hire to portray.

Facebook is a great way to connect with friends and increasingly with businesses, but you can’t always control what other people post about you. If you’re worried about comments you’ve made or potentially damaging pictures being viewed by people outside of your network, make sure to check your settings so that people who shouldn’t have access to such material is blocked.

LinkedIn is similar to Facebook in that you make several connections, but it is a much more business oriented tool. Many employers will upload job posts and it’s a great way to find out information on company profiles and the types of employees that are currently working for them. Update your LinkedIn profile regularly and remember to keep it professional.

Twitter has quickly become a tool that many people are using to network about jobs and events that are going on all over the world. Here, you are limited to 140 characters maximum, so you get snippets of information of all kinds. Do a search on companies or topics that interest you and then “follow” their tweets to get instant updates from them. You can use Twitter to tell people what you are interested in and what you are doing, but again, remember that unless you lock your account, anyone, including potential employers may see what you’re up to.

So, if you choose to utilize any number of social networking tools out there, remember to be mindful of the things that you say, the pictures that you post and how these things represent you to others. It’s good practice to Google your name every so often to see what’s out there. You may just be surprised at what you find…