You are what you post online. Right? Well, that’s what the perception seems to be at least, whether it’s true or not. In my last post I talked about the pros and cons of having separate twitter accounts for personal and professional presence. Today, let’s go deeper and discuss what employers are looking for in a candidates’ social media presence when hiring, especially for young professionals.
I have done my share of hiring for a range of positions. I hire full-time administrators, interns, and hourly student workers. Obviously, each job has different expectations for the hiring process, however, I try to mimic the internship hiring process to real-world hiring when applicable. It’s great practice, and don’t sell yourself short. Interns can be just as important to the day-to-day functionality of a business as a senior-level administrator.
So as you continue to post online, keep these things in mind, and you’ll be headed in the right direction.
1. Industry-Related Content
We want to know that you’re keeping up with trends in the field. Whether it’s tweeting out data on recent findings, retweeting another professional in the field, using common industry hashtags, or conversing with others in a Twitter chat, it’s all relevant. Just show us that you’re legitimately interested in your field of work, and don’t be afraid to add your own flare to make the content your own.
2. Mutual Connections
No, we don’t care if your grandma’s second cousin twice removed is friends with the CEO on Facebook. We mean your professional social media network. Keep in mind that who you follow matters just as much as who is following you. If you’re following local businesses within your geographical location, or top social media influencers, when Twitter recommends “who to follow” it should show that we have similar interests. If you go a step further and make sure your profile has keywords in the industry, it will help match you up with people even better. I want to see that we follow similar type businesses and organizations, but don’t go spam everyone at my business. Remember it’s not the quantity of followers, it’s the quality.
3. Communication & Professional Skills
Do you communicate professionally? Will I be able to count on you to communicate well with clients? If you don’t use proper punctuation, spelling, or grammar, I’m going to say no. Even if you hit all the other items on this list, this is a deal breaker for many.
TFW u send me ur resume and don’t know how to address an email properly smh. #hireme #nope
Sorry, not sorry.
4. Examples of Your Work & Professional Experience
As a young professional, sometimes this can feel like the dreaded “entry level position with 10 years experience” job requirement. But examples of your work don’t have to be anything spectacular. Some of your day-to-day tasks are just as important as the big projects. If you’ve given presentations at a conference or published articles, great! But that’s not a necessity. Post a picture of you working at your internship, upload some of your projects and documents from school into an online portfolio, create a cool graphic with the topic of your senior capstone project. Then link these in your profile, or share the content in your posts. You’ve gotta start somewhere, and the humble brag will help you out here.
All of the above trickle down to your potential fit with the company. Do we think you’ll work well with our mission, vision, and current employees? At the end of the day, though, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Show us you’re human too. Use slang terms and acronyms every once in a while. Follow The Bachelor, Chrissy Tegan, and Justin Timberlake. It’s all ok in moderation.
Great, useful advice! I think a lot of people think to share some of their day to day activities but forget to share industry-related content.