Back in the day, the way one would go about finding a job would be apply for a job they saw in the newspaper by mailing or faxing in a resume and cover letter to the Hiring Manager. If shortlisted they would be contacted via the telephone for an in person interview. If they were deemed to be a fit based how they conducted themselves in the interview, they would be contacted within a few days and offered the position. Fast forward to today, the introduction of social media has added an extra layer of involvement to the job process and its complexity. This means that there is more that a candidate needs to take into account when applying for a position, especially when it comes to their online presence.

Social media has become a valuable tool for attracting and recruiting new staff. Your profile on social media can have a major impact on your job opportunities. Social recruiting has become an integral part of many recruitment firms and employers when it comes to screening candidates. Sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google allow recruitment firms and employers to screen candidates away from just their resume, cover letter and interviews. When using social recruiting, employers usually look at the candidates’ online behaviour, information that supports the job qualifications, how the candidate interacts with other users and what other users are saying about the candidate.

This means that before you make the decision to apply for a job, you have to be aware of how people see you online. Be aware if what pictures are posted and that they don’t portray you in a negative light. The good thing about social media is that you can still keep your private life separate from your professional, without having to manage two different accounts. All social media platforms have a privacy setting option. When in doubt – don’t share it OR leave it on private!

When using social media platforms such as LinkedIn to apply for jobs, make sure that your profile is always relevant and up to date. Your LinkedIn profile should have a professional photograph of yourself and your most relevant and complete employment history listed with the most present role on top. If your LinkedIn details do not correlate with your resume, you are damaging the chances of obtaining an interview request. Employers and Recruiters will always check this! You should also connect with people from the same industry or follow related groups. This will strengthen your chances to land the job that you are looking for.