Job-hunting grads are slow to clean up online profiles
Much has been written about how poor judgment in social networking can sink a job candidate’s prospects. Even a single misstep on a site like Facebook, Twitter or MySpace could cause you to be passed over for employment, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey.
With employers expecting to hire 7 percent fewer graduates from the college class of 2010 than they hired from the class of 2009, you’d think that soon-to-be graduates would be cleaning up their online images. That’s not always the case, according to a popular entry-level job search Web site. A recent survey by CollegeGrad.com found that only 37 percent of job-hunting college graduates have changed their social network content or profiles to remove questionable images or text that could cost them an interview, or even a job.
A news release about the CareerBuilder.com survey cited above offers hints for keeping a positive image online. Monster.com gives great advice for cleaning up your online image if damage has already been done to your reputation.
But for every tale of a social networking faux pas preventing someone from getting hired, there is a matching one highlighting the positive aspects of social networking in the job search. According to the CareerBuilder.com survey, for instance, 18 percent of employers found content on social networking sites that actually caused them to hire a candidate.
And while employers may be scouring your sites to determine whether or not they should hire you, the mere fact that you have, and utilize, social networking skills can give you a leg up in the job hunt, according to Click to Client, a Dallas-based online marketing firm. In an interview with the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Click to Client President Shama Kabani asserts that employers are actively seeking candidates with social networking skills.
The bottom line? It’s all about balance. Have fun with social networking, but use it responsibly.
