Social Media Can Keep You From Getting Hired
Social Media Can Keep You From Getting Hired

By Nicholas Pell

The simple things that can make you look bad to potential employers.

Everyone knows that social media can cost you a job. What everyone doesn't know is that you don't have to be egregiously offensive or insult your boss to lose your job or miss out on the opportunity of your dreams. Some seemingly innocuous habits can mean the difference between getting hired and getting fired -- or never getting a call from a recruiter at all.

1. Posting During Working Hours

If your boss -- or even a jealous coworker -- sees that you're posting during working hours, that can be a deal breaker. It's not that just posting once or twice throughout the course of a day is necessarily the worst thing in the world. The problem here is that posting when you're supposed to be working can make you look bad. Your current employer will remember when it comes time to evaluate your performance. Future employers may take notice when making their ultimate hiring decision.

2. Complaining About Your Current Job

If you want to complain about your job online, keep it locked down so people you work with can't see it. When the time comes to start making cuts, your boss might well look at you as the first person to get the axe. After all, if you're so unhappy, why do you keep working there? And if you're looking for a new job, potential employers might see you as a future problem.

3. Your Resume Doesn't Match Your Profile

Is your resume 100 percent accurate? What about your LinkedIn profile? Employers know that people occasionally embellish the truth on their resumes. One place they can easily check to see how much you're embellishing is on your social media profiles. Especially if you're up for a highly competitive position, you'll want to ensure that all your ducks are in a row and all your stories match (and are truthful).

4. Your Shares Might Rub Some People the Wrong Way

"Retweets are not endorsements" is standard language that many people include on their Twitter profiles nowadays. Still, just because you say it, that doesn't mean everyone is going to interpret your tweets that way. Know that your boss might be looking at anything you do publicly online and that a potential employer is almost certainly vetting your social media.

You don't need to be paranoid when it comes to using social media, but some degree of cautiousness is just smart. Use common sense and think before you post.

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How Your Social Media Profile Can Keep You From Getting Hired - Jobs & Career Advice