Expert Tips To Help Job Seekers Clean Up Their Social Identity (NAPSA)—Social media is a popular pastime for work and play for nearly 70 percent of Americans.’ For job seekers, social networkingsites can be usefultools to share professional experience, network with peers and employers, and seek job openings, but the contentthat individuals post on social platforms could be detrimental during the job hunt. Companies often use social media to research job candidates during the interview process to learn more about them. And, unfortunately, if a candidate's social media presence contains unsavory pho- tos, commentsor posts, that information can be factored into the decision about whomto interview and ultimately hire. ‘The bottom line: Individuals seeking a new job would be wise to remove any potentially damaging photosor content. ‘That said, can you truly hide your social identity? Dan Konzen, Phoenix Cam- puschair for the College of Information Systems and Technology at University of Phoenix, said the answer may be “no, buthe hastips to help clean up your social identity. Can Social Media Cost Me MyJob? ‘Theeasy solution to hide yoursocial identity seemsto beto deleteit entirely, but this may not be the best option for job seekers. Hiring managersareactually less likely to interview candidates who don’t have a social media presence.” Individuals must be careful, though, of what contentis posted online. Knowing that a potential employer may be looking at your social media presence, its best to present yourself in the most flattering way. It’s not just about what you post, it also applies to what friends are posting about you, as the content is discoverable. Some social media snafus include inappropriate photos, videos or con- tent; alcoholor drug use; discriminatory comments; slander toward previous companyor fellow employees; and poor communication skills. Current employees should also be wary of their online presence. Nearly half of employers said they use social media to research current employees, and one-fourth have fired an employee for whatthey found.’ Job seekers may care to consider the reaction of potential employers before posting on social media. Tips to Clean Up YourSocial Identity Konzen warns that what individu- als post online can never be completely hidden,but people can take steps to help clean up their socialidentity. “Consider how your social media accounts are perceived by others ofdifferent backgrounds, such as a recruit- er sharing it with a hiring manager,’ Konzen said. “The best way to clean up your social identity is to be aware of whatis already out there and be mindful of what you post.” Konzen shares the following tips to help clean up yoursocialidentity: Removeany provocative, inappropriate or distasteful photos or comments. This includes ones you've been tagged in by friends. Contact the poster and ask him or her to remove the photo or content. If that isn't possible, untag yourself. Tools such asjustdelete.me and Lightbeam can help you manage accounts and see who's viewed yourprofiles. Google yourself and set up Google Alerts to monitor your online presence. If you find anything concerning, chances are, hiring managerswill, too. Edit past social media and blog posts for grammatical errors. Poor commu- nication skills on social media are a reflection of your brand. Consider making your social media profiles more career focused. Think of the type of candidate the employer is seeking and model yoursocial media accounts after that. Creating a profile under a pseudonym can be used to keep in touch with old friendsor post content that may not be work appropriate. een enn eee eee eee Opn nnn nnn nn nen nnn een ene lwww.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media 2www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?ed=12/31/2016eid=pr945 &sd=4/28/2016 3www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail. aspx?ed=12/31/2016eid=pr945sd=4/28/2016
