Studies indicate that more than half of employers screen the Facebook profiles of job candidates who are seeking employment. Unfortunately, a Facebook page that hosts even a minute amount of indecent material can ruin your chances at a stellar job. Consider how you can eliminate negativity in your profile, and cultivate a Facebook page that works in your favor.
Screen Your Photos Carefully
Job seekers who place unprofessional photos on their Facebook page are only advertising themselves in a negative light. Choose a primary photo that is decent and showcases you in a positive manner. Avoid placing photos that contain suggestive images, alcohol or drug use or any other type of unscrupulous image on your Facebook page. If you are unsure whether or not your Facebook photos are inappropriate, ask yourself if your mother or potential employer could make negative assumptions about your character after viewing them. If you consider a photo to be suspect in any way, it is better to simply delete it.
Restrict Your Friends’ Posts
If you have a bunch of friends and associates on your Facebook page that make graphic or inappropriate posts, it is crucial to restrict their ability to freely post on your wall. Explore your privacy settings, and choose the option to limit what is seen on your page by reviewing each post before it is added to your timeline. This action is essential to keep the online activities of people you know from sabotaging your job opportunities.
Filter Your Political and Religious Views
A Facebook page that is filled with strong political rants can be quite unappealing to potential employers. As a rule of thumb, job seekers may also want to avoid heavy religious discussion as well, especially if they are seeking work with an employer who promotes neutral views or totally opposite beliefs.
Refrain From Foul Language and Bad English
Employers often investigate the Facebook pages of job candidates to determine if their social media actions are harmonious with the company’s culture and workplace values. Job candidates who use curse words and poor grammar to express themselves on Facebook may sabotage their chances for getting the job. If you freely use improper or foul language in your posts, a hiring manager may believe you are unethical, incompetent and a bad fit for the company’s work environment. In addition, developing a more professional Facebook page that does not talk badly about your previous boss is imperative to maximize your future job opportunities.
Some major employers will continue to evaluate Facebook profiles to determine if job candidates are suitable hires. Taking the time to customize your privacy settings, filter posts and eliminate negative material on your Facebook page is necessary to improve your chances of landing employment with a reputable company.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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