The Career Pros and Cons of Social Media Postings

When I posted A Real-Life Example of Why You Need to Be Careful What You Put on Social Media Sites somewhere around half of the commenters felt that I was making a mountain out of a molehill -- that employers don't really look at social media sites when they consider hiring new workers (to be clear, some people argued that employers shouldn't do this -- they sometimes weren't clear on whether or not they thought employers did do it.) I had stated that it was my experience that employers can and do use public postings on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as they hire new employees (and to a lesser degree when checking out current employees for one reason or another.) As such, I advised readers to be careful what they post since anything "can and will be used against them."

Now there are some numbers associated with my advice. Here's what Moneyland reports as social media website use by employment recruiters:

What you post or Tweet can have positive or negative impact on what recruiters think of you. Four out of five recruiters liked to see memberships and affiliations with professional organizations on a candidate’s profile, and another 66% react positively when a profile mentions volunteerism efforts. On the other hand, references to illicit drugs, posts of a sexual nature, and mentions of alcohol consumption were likely to be viewed negatively by 78%, 67%, and 47% of recruiters. Interestingly enough, poor grammar and spelling mistakes are worse social networking sins than writing about your latest binge-drinking adventure: 54% of recruiters had a negative reaction to grammar and spelling mistakes, compared to 47% of recruiters negative reaction to alcohol references.

So given the above I repeat my advice -- be careful what you post online. It is public knowledge (if everyone can see it) and could impact your career negatively.

On the positive side, the same study shows that using social media can be a big win to your career if done correctly and on purpose. Specifically the piece had high praise for LinkedIn:

Nearly all (93%) of recruiters are using LinkedIn to discover talent. Furthermore, 89% of recruiters have hired through LinkedIn. The smart advice is to fully utilize LinkedIn in your job search. It’s essential to have to have a flawless (and completely filled-out) profile so that recruiters take you seriously. You should also optimize your profile by adding specialty keywords into your headline, summary, and throughout the rest of your profile so that when recruiters search for candidates with certain skills, you come up. I also recommend that you join industry groups to connect with recruiters that are looking for industry-specific candidates.

For more thoughts on how to use LinkedIn to benefit your career, check out the following:

• LinkedIn Best Practices


• Four Ways LinkedIn Can Help Your Career


• Three Tips to Make LinkedIn Work Harder


• Three Tips to Make the Most of LinkedIn

I haven't yet joined LinkedIn because I'm not looking for a new job, but certainly a case can be made for other benefits (like networking) for those who are not in the job market. Anyone have thoughts one way or the other on the value of LinkedIn for non-job hunters? Or perhaps you've found a job through the site. If so, please share your experiences with the rest of us.

Comments

[Eric]

I didn't leave a comment on your previous post, but I thought you were completely correct about this issue. I think the commenters who suggested that social networking doesn't affect hiring are naive. Yes, of course there are going to be cases where employers don't care or don't look. But why even take that chance? Just be mindful of what you expose of yourself to the world. If you think employers shouldn't access your personal info that YOU make/keep public, then I have no idea what to say to you.

[Matt]

I agree that the people who don't think what they post will not harm them. Some day it might.

There is a rap group called Insane Clown Posse that the FBI has taken down all of the people who have "liked" this group on FB and have become part of there fan page. The FBI has labeled them as a hate group and now consider anyone attending a concert as consipirators.

But it will not effect the mother of 4 who "liked" them on FB.

Here is the story on Fox 2 Detroit.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19267776/2012/08/13/insane-clown-posse-to-file-suit-against-the-fbi-over-juggalo-gang-label

[Chris]

I'm in consulting and Linked In is useful to stay in touch with past colleagues who I may not talk to frequently, but need to track down a few years later for a question, job opportunity, etc. My profile is basically just an online resume, and I usually update both the traditional resume & linked at the conclusion of my projects.

[Kelly@FinancialBailoutNews]

Thats interesting that spelling and grammar mistakes on such an informal area would have more of a negative effect that alcohol use; I once read that a 25 year old elementary school teacher was fired from her job after someone discovered a picture of her enjoying a glass of wine while on vacation in Europe-crazy! LinkedIn can be a good tool for networking with people in your industry even if you're not looking for a job. There are places where you can answer questions and take part in discussion boards to demonstrate your expertise and possibly make connections with people you otherwise wouldn't be in contact with.

[Keith]

I am using LinkedIn to expand my network. I find it a good way to connect with people in the marketplace. My profile is at 100% and I have joined a number of groups. I list what I am reading and I answer questions from other users on how to use the site. It is another place to leave "bread crumbs" for those who want to know what you are like.

[Jim]

That Moneyland link appears to be going to the wrong article.

I think this is the right article :
http://moneyland.time.com/2012/07/09/how-recruiters-use-social-networks-to-make-hiring-decisions-now/

[Jim]

I don't give much attention or weight to social network or information on a candidate obtained through a google search. I trust that my interview questions accurately assess the candidates intelligence, skills, and motivations. Now - I expect that every candidate that I interview has google'd me and is aware of my background. I am almost surprised in a negative way when a candidate hasn't done their research to find out about me. I don't really care if they gamble and drink when not at work as long as they get the job done and perform at a high level.