Do you have a Facebook page? A Twitter account? What about Instagram? If so, what do you post there?
In my experience, it seems like most people like to post pictures and messages about their children, pets, possessions, vacations, and the food they ate last night. Pretty innocent stuff. Personally, I like looking at those kinds of posts. I feel like it keeps me connected to my friends, even if they live hundreds of miles away. And I always enjoy a good vacation photo featuring sandy feet in front of a body of water! (Who doesn’t?)
But occasionally, someone posts a message or photo that’s a bit more racy or controversial. Is it interesting? Absolutely! Is it smart? Maybe not.
A recent CareerBuilder survey revealed that 43% of employers search social media sites for information about job candidates. And 51% of employers have decided not to hire a certain candidate due to the information that they discovered on those sites.
What upsets employers the most? Here are the top four reasons why employers decided to pass on job candidates:
- The candidates posted provocative or inappropriate pictures or information – 46%
- The candidates posted pictures of themselves drinking or doing drugs – 41%
- The candidates said negative things about their previous employers or coworkers – 36%
- The candidates had bad communication skills – 32%
So make sure to think before you post. And if you just can’t restrain yourself from posting those “provocative” pictures, be discrete! Adjust your settings so that you’re only sharing your posts with friends and family, and consider setting your profile to private.
