When applying for a job, recruiters may start looking for your social media accounts just to scan your preferences and determine what you like and what you do not. In any case, Instagram is usually your favorite social media platform where you post pictures and whatnot, so the recruiters may start searching for it. But what do they look for, and why is it important to “stalk” the potential employees? How can they be sure that you do not makeup something just to make the page more interesting? Here is what the recruiters look for when stalking your social media platforms.
About me section
About me, the section is the first thing they check when get to your profile, as this section uncovers your preferences, likes, dislikes, and overall temper. Of course, it is very unlikely you will write that you hate to sleep naked or that you like watching Kung Fu movies, but this section allows them to peek into your personality. The section usually contains a quote or a saying. They can check your grammar skills and personality. Before hiring, the recruiters just want to see if your social media profile corresponds to what you wrote in the cover letter for the job you had applied for.
Once they read your description of yourself, they will compare it to the one you wrote them in the cover letter. If there is any discrepancy or “hidden truth,” you might be compromised. They simply want to make sure that they have the same person, not someone who is pretending to be something that he is not. While photos from a good night out can be hilarious, it can also destroy your reputation and render you as an incompetent person for their work.
A lot of people write about political or religious views, which can also be a crucial step in determining whether someone is a good person for the work. Some companies, even though 99% do not pay attention to that, may reject you because of your political views or specific religious disciplines. You do not need that. That is why it is a good thing to do to avoid writing about these topics, as these usually lead to a conflict. Instead, the wise thing would be to write inspirational thoughts rather than what you think of the world or the country’s politics, as your boss would talk to you about business, not about the economics in the Middle East.
Photos of yourself and your buddies
More often, you will have the picture that you are ashamed of, and you would like to hide it. Since you probably have that friend who likes to “compromise” you and show a picture of you in a drunken mood, it is very likely the recruiters will notice it. Any drug, sexual, or profane reference would mean that you are not as professional. When writing Craft Resumes, you always want to present yourself in the best light. But this goodwill can be easily ruined by a single photo that shows you smoking a bong or dancing without a shirt.
Also, they would check the description of your photos to see how you perceive yourself, your friends, and everything else around you. This speaks a lot about you, and should they find any inappropriate description, you are risking rejecting your application. There is no excuse. Therefore, try to minimalize inappropriate photos to be sure that you will not lose the job just because of a single picture. If you do not present yourself in a professional manner, how would you expect them to present you as a professional worker of their company?
If you have pictures where you look professional, it is very likely that the recruiters will consider hiring you. This means you are a professional worker who takes good care when it comes to your presentation. Any photo with violent or sexual references reduces the chances for hiring. Just a single picture that depicts you in the “bad light” may influence the overall decision, so keep that in mind. You do not want to miss your dream job just because you took a picture wearing only underwear because you wanted to impress someone.
Your followers
People that follow you say enough about you and your social interaction with them, so they can “make a profile” of you. The recruiters will check what you write to your followers, as well as how you interact with them. This is a good way to assess your personality. For this reason, avoiding writing inappropriate comments and using profane language will not render you as someone who is not serious, professional, and social. Instead, the recruiters would see you as someone who is responsible and who takes good care of their “friends,” which means you could fit into the company’s policy.
People that you find interesting depict your area of interest, so avoid following dark or violent-like people/things. What you find amusing and hilarious (if you are a black-comedy fan), someone else might find assaulting or inappropriate. Have that in mind once you start following someone. Not that you should stop following a web page that promotes satirical stories, but rather limit yourself to “healthy fun.” Remember, Google will not reveal your preferences easily, but Twitter will.
People you follow
The pages and people you follow speak about you and your preferences, as well as your interests and hobbies. People want to hire a reliable person who has common sense, and someone who is not interested in drugs or violence, but rather in the industry they work in. No one wants to work with people who have bad habits. If you had applied for a web design position, it would be smart to allow your recruiters to see that you gain interest in the industry that you want to work in, as this means you are staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and innovations.
Your activity
When stalking a social profile, it is possible to get insight into the profile’s activity and its actions. Whether you are an active social profile that posts a lot of statuses, pictures, and links, you need to take good care of what you post. No one wants a worker that likes animal abuse, for example. Therefore, the recruiters will take a look at your profile and examine the timeline to see what you did post earlier to make sure that you are not someone who is “crazy.” The recruiters can peek into your habits, thoughts, and music you like, so avoid posting something that is not actually “you.”
Your thoughts
People often use social platforms, particularly Facebook, to share their thoughts on something, and this is often connected to the happenings in the world or in your state. How you relate to certain events speaks about your vision and reveals your true side of the personality. It is a cool way to present your thoughts. However, it can be a serious backfire that would reject the recruiters to consider you for the job. They want to see how you relate to industry innovations and new things that are happening, not what you think of the new UK’s Prime Minister.
