What Not to Post on Facebook If You Are Looking for a Job

Social media is a must for those looking for a job. It is a fantastic way to connect with employers, hiring managers and other employees who can recommend you for the job. However, once you open your social media accounts to your employment search, you’ll need to be very careful about what you post there. Recent reports indicate that more and more employers are turning to social media sites like Facebook to find out what candidates are really like.

What’s to Worry About?

Job seekers should put some self control into their job search when it comes to using sites like Twitter, Facebook and even LinkedIn. Even if you’ve never told a potential employer they could use these sites to learn more about you, many will do so as part of their screening process especially if it comes down to just a few well-qualified candidates.

Check out these five things you should not post to your social media accounts if you are after the next big job or career move.

1. Don’t post what you did last night if it isn’t something you would want your mother to know about as well. Screen your posts to exclude information that makes you look immature or even worse, like someone that’s not trustworthy.

2. Don’t bad mouth your previous employer. Doing so puts a bad taste in the mouth of any new hiring manager or employer.

3. Don’t post (or allow someone to tag you in) any indecent photos or photos that show you doing anything that’s unfavorable. If you want to post these to your friends, be sure to limit your privacy settings on your photo album.

4. Don’t make racist, sexist or otherwise discriminatory comments on your page. Companies are very anti-harassment and focus their attention on hiring candidates not likely to engage in such actions.

5. Don’t belong to groups (at least those that are visible) that put you in the wrong place or surroundings. If you think being a part of the “Saturday night drinking party” is a good thing, chances are good that a hiring manager will think you are not a good fit.

In addition to this, when job searching, tone down what’s accessible on these social media sites. Check your privacy settings. Find out what’s visible in terms of your views especially religious and political postings. You don’t want these elements of who you are to define if you get the job interview or not.