There is an ancient Greek adage that states – “know thyself.” In today’s context however, it seems more important to “Know Thyself Online” – especially if you’re a job-seeking college graduate. If you are one of the millions of individuals belonging to one or more social networking sites, be ready for an employer to review your online persona.
While the legality of this type of scrutiny remains an interesting topic for debate, the mere fact remains that the scrutiny still occurs. According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 11.1 percent of employers indicated their intention to use social networking sites as part of their mechanism for vetting job candidates. The study also revealed that sixty percent of employers were influenced to some extent based on the information contained in a candidate’s profile. What’s interesting is the extent to which recruiters and employers seem to decry social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook when discussing conventions for job seekers. Yet, I could find few articles online suggesting the positives associated with having a profile in relationship to a job search. When I meet with college grads, I tell them to play up any relevant work experience and interests they have so employers can gain a more holistic sense of the individual.
A tastefully constructed social networking profile could very well influence an employer in a positive way. Consider two job-seeking college graduates – Candidate A and Candidate B, both with similar credentials and both applying for employment as a legal assistant with the same international law firm. The law firm recruiter might look at both candidates’ resumes and see no fundamental differences. The recruiter then goes online and discovers only one with a profile on a social networking site. The profile indicates Candidate A has studied classical piano for 10 years and has traveled extensively throughout the world. Although candidate B may not lack dimension, I would suggest that an employer might have a more favorable impression of a Candidate A prior to an interview. An extracurricular activities sketch and personal portrait can provide an employer with important, and positive, means for differentiation.
So here’s the bottom line. If you have a profile online, don’t eliminate it. Nowadays many of the popular social networking sites give users greater control over content accessibility. However, it is still important for job seekers to be aware of the content they have posted for public consumption -- lest the spring break photos you think are harmless may cause more harm than good. A photo of you dressed in a revealing outfit dancing in a sea of foam at a bar may not translate into “hmm, what a fun-loving extrovert” in the mind of an employer.
