The Interview You Never Knew You Had

When you interview, chances are your employer will look for your profile in social media. What they find may make a stronger impression of who you are—for better or for worse. That’s why, if you’re job hunting, you should consider making your social media profiles private. However, if you prefer to have your profiles public, just realize that what you post could be seen by your potential employers.

Hold back.

It is far better to remain neutral on subjects that are in the category of politics, religion and even musical taste. Also, refrain from commenting on content that contains sex, drugs, alcohol or profanity.

Watch your grammar.

Try your best to post comments that are grammatically correct. Employers have been known to reject an applicant after reading a poorly written post. Posts should be proofread, with all spelling errors corrected. Interviewers and decision makers view poorly written posts by applicants as an inability to communicate well.

Personal information such as marital status, sexual orientation and strife in relationships should not be posted on social media. Employers can’t legally ask questions about those topics. However, they can go to social media to find out. Make sure that what they find makes you look professional.

Be an expert in your field.

If you do keep your social profiles public, make several posts that are insightful and relevant to your career. You should pay special attention to your posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Types of posts that can make a negative impression:

• Inappropriate photos
• Sarcastic, angry or critical comments
• References to partying (drinking, drugs)
• Negative remarks about current or previous employers or coworkers
• Discriminatory comments

Types of posts that can make a positive impression:

• Positive comments in general, but especially about your job.
• Demonstrate your professional qualifications and interests
• Show creativity
• Show a wide range of interests
• Showcase awards and accomplishments