Social media is a powerful networking tool in both the social and professional sense – helping people make thousands of connections with just the click of a mouse.
However, this powerful medium can also be a hindrance for job seekers if they don’t use it correctly.
It is not uncommon for employers to run a candidate’s name through Google to see what pops up, including social media pages.
With this in mind then, it is vital that you ensure your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other profiles are appropriate.
For example, if you are actively job seeking it is a good idea to check that all your settings are private and that you don’t have any inappropriate photos or posts displayed on your pages.
Employers will often make their first impression on aspects such as a person’s social media pages so it is also worthwhile ensuring you aren’t part of any online groups or a fan of pages that may be damaging to your job prospects.
LinkedIn is a professional networking tool that is widely used by employers to scout out skilled professionals.
Working almost like an online resume, it is a good idea if you’re job hunting to spend some time updating your profile to make sure it reflects your work experience and employment goals.
