Have you started branding yourself on social media? If you haven’t, then you should jump online and start now (after reading this post of course). You are your own unique brand, so you need to express that in your online presence. Future employers are constantly looking.

Clean Up Your Feed

 

According to a CareerBuilder study, 60 percent of employers look to social media to research potential new hires. Employers who are looking to hire you will view your social media accounts. All of them. You could just put your accounts on private, but that will probably raise some suspicion; you’re a millennial after all. This first step is crucial. Take a quick scroll to the very beginning of your social media existence and press that edit delete button.

First, you need to delete anything that would be considered inappropriate, controversial, or inauthentic. By inappropriate, I mean those pictures of you at a frat party your freshman year with a red Solo cup in your hand should go. It doesn’t matter if you did the most keg stands that night, recruiters don’t want to see it.

Second, any posts or photos that are deemed offensive should also be deleted. Make sure that you also don’t have any rants on your page that would make a recruiter question your level of professionalism. They don’t want to see your feed filled with complaints.  

Third, your social media feed is a reflection of you and if you don’t show your individual personality, how will a future employer know what an asset you could be to their company? Don’t think that your social media feed will not be as entertaining as before with all of these changes. There’s no harm in good, clean fun, especially if it gets you hired.   

Update Your Information

 

Make sure all of your information, such as your previous employment, is up to date. If you have a Linkedin account (which you should), this is crucial. Prospective employers should be able to quickly view all of your recent endeavors. You’ve heard that cautionary tale from professors who say employers usually spend 30 seconds or less skimming your resume. Don’t make excuses for why you don’t have time to update it. It will only take a few minutes. Prospective employers want to see your attention to detail and organizational skills, and this is one way to display that. So, make sure your info is correct, current and focused on the job you want.

Be Passionate

If you want to get a job in any field, like finance, sports, or even social media, then your profiles should reflect that. Recruiters want to see that you have an interest in their industry. Make sure you research and follow the companies you’ve applied to as well. They want to see that you’re interested and brushed up on the latest with their business and the happenings in the field. Also, show any outside interests you have. If you love football or photography, express that. Employers want to see your personality shine through.  

Be Yourself

We were all told growing up that we are special, but to potential employers, all resumes begin to look the same, the name just changes. Potential employers could be looking at your social media feed to just bring you in for an interview. Social media is now a step in the hiring process. That’s why it is so important to have authentic social media profiles so you can make your best impression on your potential employer. They want to see your real personality and how you could fit into their company environment.

Now you are all ready to go and update your social media accounts. If you get that awesome job you wanted, no need to thank me, it’s my job.