A few days back I came across a very interesting article by Lee Hester of WebProNews in which he explores the screening of social media sites by employers as a future predictor of employee performance (Social Media Is Proving To Be An Effective Performance Predictor). A few of the key points than anyone looking for a new job should be aware of:
• 91% of employers are now using social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to screen applicants for jobs
• 47% of employers check social networking sites to screen prospective employees after receiving their application
• Facebook is checked by 76% of employers, Twitter by 53% and LinkedIn by 48%
• 68% of employers have hired an employee because of something they saw about the candidate on a social networking site
What does this mean for you? Social network sites play a huge part of your overall presentation to employers, and should be used as a promotion tool. Employers are watching, so keep it professional. They are looking for certain traits, so pay attention to traits such as conscientiousness, agreeability and intellectual curiosity, and analyze yourself to see if your social media outlets are conveying this message for you.
One mention in the article that I found interesting was the finding that “party shots didn’t really hurt candidates showing they were friendly and outgoing instead.” I would be cautious however, because there is a difference between pictures socializing with friends at a party, and pictures showing you passed out in your own vomit. Use common sense and discretion, because this type of picture could have an adverse consequence – I have seen it countless times.
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