How Important is Your Social Media Profile in Your Singapore Job Hunt?

You might have heard about the general rule of thumb when it comes to social media: anything you mention on social media could have implications on your reputation. It could give others the wrong impression of you and affect the perception of prospective employers. They could misinterpret your persona based on what they see on your social pages.

Everyone is on social media these days, including potential recruiters. A recent study found that 70% of employers check out potential candidates online before hiring — of these, 69% have used search engines to find out more about candidates. Some employers go as far as finding your Instagram accounts to gauge how right you are for the job and whether you'll fit in with their company culture.

It doesn’t take your employers much research to find your social media profiles. Andrew Chow, a social media strategist and author of Social Media 247, notes that in the age of social media, nothing is ever private or personal. “Whatever you say, do, post and think on social media is a reflection of you. Recruiters will piece all these together and make a perception about you,” he says.

Why is a professional social media profile important?

One in two employers are prepared to research job candidates using social media if necessary, according to a survey by recruitment firm Robert Walters of 896 jobseekers and 280 hiring managers. This is to ensure candidates are suitable for hire — 64% of employers have viewed an individual's professional social network profile at some point for this purpose. Their social media profiles unveil a truer side to their applicants, showing their candid side, interests, mannerism and interaction with their peers.

This is not confined to professional social platforms like LinkedIn but personal pages too — 27% of the employers admitted to using Facebook to evaluate a prospective employee. This is true for Instagram, Twitter and even Snapchat.

One post may not mean much in the overall scheme of things, but when a recruiter strings your past 20 posts and comments together, a good idea of your personality and values may be gleaned.

As such, social postings could discourage your employer from hiring you for a role, if, for example, you constantly share contentious posts that are controversial. If you make ill remarks online, you could give the impression that you are difficult to work with.

Do professional social media platforms affect the recruitment process and what does this mean for jobseekers?

According to the Robert Walters survey, 35% of employers say they access professional social media profiles during the application stage of recruitment to give themselves a better idea of the candidate’s personality, employment history and references. So it is important for a prospective candidate to have an informative profile, as well as a strong cover letter and resume, detailing your accomplishments and recommendations.

Another 25% of the employers access professional social networks at the interview stage. Such employers are interested in employment information not gained from speaking directly with the individual concerned.

How do personal social media platforms come into play?

Social media does play a significant role for employers. In fact, some make use of social media to recruit and headhunt for potential employees.

Grace Sanchi, general manager of Optimo Singapore, a local wholesaler and brand distributor, shares that the company has hired about 60 percent of their company’s staff (including more mature workers such as their accounts staff) via Facebook.

So how can you manage your online reputation to preserve a professional and respectable profile on social media, without having to compromise too much on your personal life? Here are a few tips to try.

Do an Online Search

Check your name online using search engines to gauge the impression you may make on an employer who chooses to conduct a search online.

Check Your Posts

• Update your privacy settings. Switch off any posts marked to “general” to “friends only”, or mark your account as private. However, adjusting your privacy may not be a foolproof solution as employers could possibly still access your profile through mutual connections.

• Do not post threads/comments that could be seen as offensive or inappropriate. This includes any content which is racially contentious, religious controversial and politically triggering.

• Do not post any unprofessional images on professional social platforms.

• Never mock or disparage anyone on social media, especially past employers or co-workers.

While social media may be an effective and interactive way to connect with friends and reach out to potential employers, it is crucial to take a step back and reflect about whether your content could be offensive to any party.

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