New year calls for a clean slate
➔ There are many worthwhile new year’s resolutions available for job seekers – especially for those job seekers over the age of 50. New resume. More networking. They’re all admirable goals for the new year.
There is one more you probably should consider – if you haven’t done it already.
Good time to purge
Let’s start with a question: When was the last time you checked your social media?
If it’s been a few years or more, it might be a good time to pull back the green curtain to find what’s lurking in the corners. While LinkedIn may be the best place to start, don’t kid yourself into thinking that it will be sufficient.
According to data released by Google last fall, 92 percent of employers check social media as part of the hiring process. Two-thirds use social media to research potential job candidates and 54 percent of companies have eliminated a candidate based on their social media feed alone.
And it’s not just potential employers. Apollo Technical reports that more than 90 percent of recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn to fill company job openings. In addition, 56 percent of recruiters say they find the best candidates through social media.
If you have any blemishes in your digital past, you might want to place a high priority on expunging all of that as quickly and as thoroughly as you can.
What to wipe clean? Let’s start with any negative comments about a former boss or employer. Also any opinions outside of your profession or industry could be a warning sign for a potential employer. Parenting, cultural trends or issues immediately come to mind. And, of course, the biggest lightning rod of all – anything political. Keep your passions to yourself.
Social media holds many advantages for today’s job seekers – from winning over an employer to being discovered by a recruiter. There’s gold in them, thar hills. Don’t let it be Fool’s Gold.