Social Media Topics to Avoid When Job Searching
Social media can be a fun tool to use in your daily life. When you are searching for a job, however, it can be more dangerous than you realise. Especially since more and more employers are beginning to take to platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to learn more about candidates for employment.
These are a few social media topics you should remove from your history and work to keep from making a reappearance for the duration of your job search.
Mentions of wild parties and illicit activities. These things won’t make great impressions on employers who have the reputations of their companies to think of.
Political posts. The UK has had some high profile political struggles as of late. Don’t risk alienating potential advocates by criticising their candidates and causes.
Religion. This is always a potential keg of dynamite and should be avoided, when possible in social media. Expressions of faith are often acceptable. What isn’t acceptable are posts that make fun of or put down the faiths of others.
Employer bashing. Whether you’ve left your employer or are in the process of seeking new employment before parting ways with your employer, it is never wise to speak negatively about your employer. It will cause potential employers to wonder if you will do the same about them once the honeymoon is over.
The best thing you can do with social media during this important time is to look for ways to make you appear as though you are a leader in your industry. Share upbeat posts about your field of work. Create insightful posts and comments that show your impressive knowledge in your field. Finally, offer encouragement and kudos to others in your industry to show how much of a team player you can be.
When used poorly, social media can reflect negatively upon you. However, when used properly, it can show you to be a potential asset to any organisation that secures your services.