Can Social Media Hurt Your Chances at a Job?

If you’re one of the 3 people following me on Twitter, you’d see that I’m an avid, and frustrated Philadelphia sports fan. You’d also probably pick up on the fact that I’m in a darts league… and that I’ve gotten off to a slow start this season. And, if you’re really perceptive, you can probably pick up on the fact that I can be somewhat sarcastic at times.

While none of these things are terribly inappropriate, I’m still aware that this information is accessible by anyone interested enough to read it. And I know for a fact that some marketing consultants looking to work with us, employees that are interested in working for us, and clients that are looking to hire us, have taken a look at my social media accounts and our company’s social media accounts. And when I look to hire an employee or work with a potential partner, I too research to see if they have a social media presence, and if so, how or what they are sharing about themselves.

When we interview someone, we judge the way they present themselves, how they interact with everyone in the interview and how they follow up, as much as we judge them based on their resume. For a company like us  that is small, has a family like atmosphere in the office, and works very closely with our clients, it is extremely important that the people we hire are not only good at what they do, but that they are good people as well. It’s important to us that they are honest and ethical. 

For us, researching their social media accounts has not been enough of a deterrent thus far to keep anyone from joining our team. But, according to the NY Times, 35% of employers surveyed decided NOT to hire a potential candidate due to what they found on their social media accounts.

Since we are a brand communications company, we preach to our clients and internally to our staff, that everything you do is a reflection of your brand. Yet even internally, frankly, we don’t always do enough to follow our own rules.

The point is, that especially now with the unemployment rate so high, it is in your best interest to do everything possible to present yourself as the best candidate. Dress, attitude, hygiene, professionalism… and your social media presence, all play a role. We’re not saying it’s a bad thing if you’re the mayor of foursquare for 15 different bars in the city... but if you’re applying to anything other than a bartending job, just be aware of what that may be saying about you.