How Your Social Media Profile Can Make or Break Your Job Prospects

Your future boss has entered the chat.

We all love a cheeky post to the gram, but have you ever considered how an employer a few months or years from now might interpret your social media profile?

Would they stumble across some good quality memes or perhaps something you're not quite as proud of?

If the thought of a potential recruiter scrolling through your socials fills you with dread, it might be time for a digital detox because it's pretty common nowadays for employers to spend time online as part of their hiring process.

It isn't all doom and gloom though—your social media can be a great way to boost your chances of standing out. You just need to know what's a good idea and what to avoid.

As for everything else, you'll need to put your best foot forward to land a job and be successful in today’s work environment. If you need a bit of extra guidance, we have you sorted with our Get Job Ready Pathway on Student Edge Plus. 

Don't post anything offensive.

Thanks Captain Obvious, amirite?

Plain and simple though, don't post anything disrespectful because, not only is it just a terrible thing to do in general, it will be a big red flag for any potential employer.

It's always a good idea to take a scroll back through the past to make sure there's nothing lingering on your wall from years ago that might be interpreted as aggressive, illegal or mean.

Don't complain about previous employers.

We all have rough days at work now and then, but it's best not to go rushing to your social media to vent about it.

Your future boss could read it and, without context, could assume that you'll criticise them online too if they hire you.

You might be fully justified in your thoughts, but it can be hard to do that on social media without looking bitter—especially to someone (like a recruiter) who's reading it without knowing the full story.

Don't lie about your qualifications. 

Although it might be tempting to spice up the skills on your resume, it's never a good idea.

Your social media profile could also reveal your lies if your future boss stumbles across dates that don't add up or posts that don't match your claims.

oh god a potential employer just asked for my social media handles pic.twitter.com/UdpXzW3dos

— 🕯️c.thru.shell🕯️ (@cThruShell) August 27, 2018

So, what can you do?

Well, you can take a look at your privacy settings and check what's visible to any potential employers.

And it pays to keep tabs on what your friends are posting to your profile or tagging you in. It could be worth setting up an approval of some kind before friends' tagged posts appear on your wall.

You can also use your social media to your advantage! It's the place where you can polish your personal brand and present yourself in a good light so future bosses can get a vibe of who you are outside your resume and a professional job interview.

Give your profile a refresh with positive, respectful content and photos that show your hobbies and interests. This is especially important on LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge in your field, which you can read all about in our article here.

And don't forget, if you need more help, you can get it with Student Edge Plus.