6 Things to Cut from Social Profiles During a Job Search

6 Things to Cut from Social Profiles During a Job Search6 Things to Cut from Social Profiles During a Job Search198When searching for a new job, youre likely focused on preparing or updating your resume, writing cover letters, and hunting for the perfect role. But theres a crucial step that you may be overlooking. Have you ever considered your public image and social profiles and how they may be interpreted by a potential employer?With so many social media outlets available, you may want to consider any ways in which you might be oversharing and possibly negatively influencing your hiring potential.Reviewing social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn by human resource professionals is now commonplace. If you share too much, such as your personal views or inappropriate images on these social profiles, its very possible that youll be bypassed for the job opening.Before submitting your next resume, clean up your social profiles by eliminating the following information1. Certain Google ResultsWhat do you find online when you Google your name? Anything derogatory? You might see documentation of any court cases you were involved in, clubs or memberships you belong to, and previous employment information. Be sure to cleanse the web of anything that could hurt your job prospects. For example, a professional writer can often find that articles are lifted and reposted by other sites without permission. Contact the website manager to remove that information, particularly if the site has a bad reputation.Additionally, consider setting up a simple personal website about yourself that puts your career interests in a positive light. Include information about professional affiliations such as career memberships and add your career search mission so potential employers can see your commitment to your profession. Consider sharing relevant news related to your industry, too, to validate your commitment to professionalism.2. Political ViewsWhile its a dmirable to be politically aware and active, voicing your political opinions on social profiles can be a drawback to landing the perfect role. While searching for a position, keep your views private or, better yet, dont post about them at all until youve landed a role. Keeping this information under wraps will eliminate any misunderstandings or biases during your hintergrund check or preliminary human resources review. Once youve landed your career position, be cautious of coworkers or supervisors that you accept friend requests from- this, too, could torpedo your career if youre deemed as too vocal or dont share the same views as your coworkers.3. Soapbox RantsDont forget to scour Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media outlets for any long-winded rants that could be misconstrued or shine a bad light on you as a job candidate or potential employee. Are you angry about something happening within your city or upset with a local company and have shared that on social media ? Were you livid about the last election? If so, delete4. Inappropriate Content or Offensive MemesThis should be a no-brainer, but its still worth mentioning. Whether you like to bash the Green Bay Packers or another rival team or poke fun at your liberal uncle, its important to remove this content from your social media accounts. You dont want to convey the wrong impression or be judged based on this content. Consider limiting your posting during the search and be sensitive to any content after youve landed the job, especially if your manager sends you a friend request. Keep your online image clean and tight.5. Negative Comments About Previous EmployersThis should be obvious, but dont bash a prior supervisor or company. Ever. The instant gratification you get from doing so will not be worth losing a good job opportunity over.6. PhotosReview your photos with a critical eye, starting with your profile photo. If your headshot doesnt show a person who exudes confidence with a polished style, consider updating the photo. Better yet, hire a local photographer to take a professional photo. Dont forget to look in your digital photo albums to remove any images that show a party atmosphere or bad personal habits that might turn off a hiring manager.