You are a ladies man and a compulsive social drinker. You are also fond of sharing your nighttime escapades on social media as a bid to garner likes, retweets and be famous. You may be getting props and hails online but many corporate recruiters will not be impressed.
Recruiters run searches of candidates on the Web to screen applicants and their search has sometimes helped in their decision to eliminate a candidate.
When you’re looking for a job, it’s not just what you say at an interview that can be held against you, it’s also what you post on social media, write in your blog or broadcast on YouTube.
The things you said on the spur of the moment online or the images you posted may decide the future fate of your career. If a potential employer uncovers scandalous or otherwise unflattering material about you online, you may be overlooked for the job offer.
A 2006 survey of 100 executive recruiters by job search and recruiting network ExecuNet found that 77 per cent use search engines to learn about candidates. Of those researching candidates online, 35 per cent eliminated a candidate from consideration based on information they uncovered online. The figure went up from 26 per cent in 2005. ExecuNet predicts that the number of job seekers prejudged or eliminated due to this “digital dirt” will climb.
Don’t put your self in a position where you are forced to hire companies like ReputationDefender, a services company that helps job seekers clean up their online reputations to help you clean up your online past.
Given that your online “life” can impact your real life situation, one will do well to heed the advice from David Opton, ExecuNet CEO and founder; “Given the implications and the shelf-life of Internet content, managing your online image is something everyone should address – regardless of whether or not you’re in a job search,” he says. Based on this, it is worthy to note that the risks don’t stop once you’re hired, so remain guided.