A lot of new IT job opportunities are opening for skilled tech pros, but there’s one thing job seekers can do to limit the odds they’ll be hired: making mistakes on social media sites.
The importance of social networks for HR professionals and hiring managers when they’re looking to fill open positions is growing, according to a recent survey from CareerBuilder.
Right now, 39% say they’re suing social networks to research candidates during the hiring process. That was up from 37% last year.
Unfortunately for many job seekers, those companies frequently don’t like what they see — and more often than in the past, social media profiles are giving employers second thoughts about candidates.
In fact, close to half (43%) of firms that check online profiles say they’ve found information that convinced them they shouldn’t hire a candidate, up from 34% last year.
What unfavorable information are organizations finding? These were the top reasons companies turned down applicants based on their social networking activity:
- The candidate posted provocative or inappropriate information or photos (cited by 50% of those companies)
- The profile contained information about the candidate drinking or doing drugs (48%)
- The candidate bad-mouthed a previous employer online (33%)
- The profile demonstrated that the candidate had poor communication skills (30%)
- The candidate made discriminatory comments regarding race, gender, religion or other topics (28%), and
- The candidate’s social network profile revealed the person had lied about his or her qualifications (20%).
Positive impact, too
While there’s a lot job seekers can do online to drive potential employers away, candidates can also use those sites to their advantage. In fact, 19% of hiring managers said they’ve also seen something in a social network site that swayed their decision in favor of the candidate.
The top positive factors included:
- The candidate conveyed a professional image (cited by 57% of respondents)
- The hiring manager got a good feel for the candidate’s personality (50%)
- The candidate seemed well-rounded and showcased a variety of interests (50%)
- The person’s profile supported the information on the resume (49%)
- The candidate seemed to be creative (46%)
- The profile displayed great communication skills (43%), and
- Others posted positive references about the candidate (38%).
Pingback: 7 Mistakes Job Seekers Make on Social Networks | Online Career Tips()