Layla Tovey's blog : Social Media Career Reputation Tips for Professionals

An excellent online reputation can play a crucial role in helping you secure employment as it lets you showcase your accomplishments and assets to your potential employer. But on the other hand, a less than decent online reputation can prevent you from landing that dream job you've always been eyeing. A recent study conducted on social media revealed that 52% of recruiters use social media as part of the evaluation process of prospective job candidates.

1. Counteract the Negative With the Positive

If you Google yourself today, you can be shocked to find something unpleasant that happened years ago pop up on the screen. This can be a nasty argument that you had with another person, or a photo you had completely forgotten about that doesn't put you in the best light. If such a thing happens to you, then the best way to handle it is to subdue the negative posts with positive ones - this is central to good personal reputation management. By using positive posts, you will be able to force the negative one to go down the rankings. Keep in mind the fact that most people Googling individuals rarely go past the first few pages or even the first page.

2. Utilize LinkedIn to Your Advantage

LinkedIn offers a great platform to display your past jobs, tenure, and all your accomplishments that contributed to the growth of those companies. It might also help to add some links to some of your work for the recruiters to have a better look at your accomplishments. Also, make great use of the Recommendations feature. Through it, you can invite your previous employers, colleagues, and clients to share how useful an asset you were to the team.

3. Grammar and Spelling are Important

While you might have sent a perfect cover letter and resume when applying for the job, how you post on social media can have an impact on how the recruiters perceive you. Poor grammar and spelling can cause you to miss out on a potential interview. While most people don't pay much attention to what they post on social media, to the recruiters, even the occasional errors might appear as a lack of attention to detail which can dampen your chances of securing the job.

4. Avoid Controversial Topics

Even though you might have a keen interest in politics, it is best to skip such subjects when posting on social media. Some recruiters may not be very welcoming of your particular opinion, for example, your choice from the current slate of candidates, particularly if things are heated. But recruiters will want to find out what your interests are and if you engage in constructive conversations with other people. This is a perfect chance to show your positive side to the recruiters.

5. Steer Clear of Offensive Posts

Engaging in a constructive discussion on social media is a great thing and can positively influence how the recruiter perceives you. On the other hand, getting into ugly arguments can have the opposite effect. Offensive posts regarding particular religions, people's customs, sexual orientation, or politics can easily be found on the internet and can reflect very badly on you. Additionally, it isn't a smart move to post photos or talk about the great drunk party that you were in last night.

6. Utilize Social Media in a Professional Manner

Starting with your personal website, carefully go through it while getting rid of any posts that may not portray you in the best light, for example, unflattering photos of a weekend party that you attended. Rather, you should use that personal website to post positive work experiences. You can even go a step further and use it to share your work history and add links that can be downloaded. Repeat this on your LinkedIn profile, and Instagram and Twitter account. Utilize this opportunity to let your creativity shine and showcase what you are capable of.

When scouting out prospective candidates for a job, social media is one of the ways that recruiters use. If you are competing with other candidates for the same job, then the recruiter can check out what you have posted on your social media can be used as a factor to shortlist candidates. A good online reputation can give you the leverage you need.

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