Monthly Archives: June 2016

Don’t Let Your Facebook Profile Cost You a Job

Posted: June 27, 2016 at 9:30 am

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Don’t Let Your Facebook Profile Cost You a Job

You have polished your resume to perfection, made sure to fill out each job application completely and accurately, and purchased a business suit for interviews. But have you taken the time to review how your Facebook profile may look to potential employers?

A 2014 recruiting survey performed by Jobvite found that a whopping 93 percent of recruiters review a candidate’s social media profiles before deciding whether to hire them. This means that what you share with friends on Facebook can have more of an impact on your job search than you may think. To make sure that your Facebook profile passes inspection, here are six of the biggest offenses to avoid.

Making references to illegal drug use. Employers want a drug free workplace. References on your Facebook profile to illegal drug use – even jokingly – can be a big turn off to many hiring managers. It is best to avoid any talk of illegal drug use on your profile altogether.

Posting inappropriate pictures. A Facebook profile that is littered with pictures of drunken partying is going to leave potential employers second guessing whether a candidate is a good fit. This also goes for pictures that you share with friends even when they aren’t of you. A person who consistently shares sexually provocative photos is unlikely to be considered a company’s top candidate.

Badmouthing your current or past employer. Posts complaining about how much you hate your job or how dumb you think your boss is won’t do you any favors in your job search. These types of posts put you in a negative light and can make a hiring manager wary of adding you to their team.

Having posts full of spelling and grammatical mistakes. Even though your Facebook posts are intended to be seen by your friends, many hiring managers will be turned off if they are found to be riddled with poor spelling and grammar. Potential employers consider your online posts to be an evaluation of your communication skills and may balk at hiring someone who does not take the time to spell check what they are sharing publicly on their Facebook profile.

Using profanity in your posts. The excessive use of profanity in your Facebook posts can really hurt your chances of landing a job. Hiring managers want someone who gives off the image of being clean cut and professional, and profanity laced rants just don’t fit that image. It’s best to keep your posts clean.

Making discriminatory comments. While we are all entitled to our opinions, you should tread lightly when it comes to making your thoughts on sensitive subject matters public. Making comments that could be seen as discriminatory related to race, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation can send potential employers running in the other direction. Employers don’t want to hire someone they worry may cast a negative light on them in the future, so sometimes it’s best to keep your private thoughts to yourself.

When beginning a job search it is best to review your Facebook profile and remove anything that may be seen as questionable by potential employers. This includes posts and photos that others tag you in. Your Facebook profile as a reflection of who you are, so make sure that it’s a positive one.

Avoid These 4 Common Job Application Mistakes

Posted: June 13, 2016 at 3:10 pm

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4 Common Job Application Mistakes You Need to AvoidA job application is the first step to getting a job. The information contained in a job application is a potential employer’s first impression of who you are and is used to determine whether you will be called in for an interview or be eliminated as a candidate for the job. Because your application is the gateway to landing an interview, it is extremely important that you take the time to fill them out properly. Make sure your next job application doesn’t land in the discarded pile Continue reading