Yesterday, I was having a tough time trying to come up with my next blog post. So, I asked my twitter connections what question would they ask a recruiter if they could. I got some wonderful responses. I will answer each one of them, so if you have a question, add them to the comments section below.
I decided I am going to start an advice column here, once in awhile. A “Dear Audrey” column, like the famous “Dear Abby” column, but for job hunting and career advice.
The first question is from @MCP85 (Tony Jones) Do they check out a person’s social media persona, check them on facebook, twitter, their blogs? Can it effect the decision?
My Answer:
Did a very fast Google search for “Do hiring managers check online” and I found a survey quickly from September 2008, that 22% percent do check online profiles for candidates they are thinking of hiring. The number may be higher now or in other surveys, but why take a chance?
If a manager is checking online, of course if they find something negative it may affect the decision. So, if you are contemplating posting something you wouldn’t want your mother to see, don’t post it. If you have posted it, think about changing your privacy settings or removing it. What you post online stays forever, including tweets from twitter. Most recruiters I know are very resourceful when they want to find out information on the internet. Personally, I don’t check too much due to time constraints, but have seen things that were memorable for the wrong reasons about a candidate I was considering.
I always check LinkedIn profiles before calling or sending candidates out on interviews. It’s a great way to get a quick snapshot of someone’s background before cold calling them. It also gives me something to brag to the hiring manager about if they have glowing recommendation.
My pet peve is inappropriate profile pictures. Professionally no one wants to see the bachelor or bachelorette party photo of you doing shots at a sleezy bar……