Your potential employer sees more than you think

Enthusiastically you put the photos of your fantastic trip to Indonesia online. In this way all your friends can see what you are up to and enjoy. Nowadays, almost everyone is on social media. Your potential employer too. So maybe you should think twice before putting a photo in swimwear and having a cocktail in your hand online. Because your potential employer may find more information about you than you think or would like.

Not only posting inappropriate photos but also your social media behavior can affect your application. Three quarters of employers look at the social media profiles of their potential new employees. Posting inappropriate comments or photos is the primary reason for rejecting applicants. Inconsistencies between the resume and the information on social media or making grammar and spelling mistakes are also reasons not to invite applicants for an interview. Think of tweets full of spelling mistakes or work experiences on LinkedIn that are not mentioned on your resume.

You may think it is a lot of work to check all the information about you online but this is fixed in minutes. Type your own name into Google and see what comes up. Do you find information that could be potentially harmful? Then shield it.

It is possible to shield your profile page on almost all social media platforms. When you go to the settings, you set it to private and no one can view your profile without permission.

It is therefore wise to check your social media channels before sending the application. Perhaps you have unnoticed in a photo tagged in the nightlife or you have commented on a strange article. By checking this or changing your settings, you increase the chance that you will be invited for a job interview. Small effort, right?