back

If you're getting a head start on your job search by using online resources, know that many employers are also researching the Internet, but for potential job candidates. What they're finding on Google.com, Myspace.com and Facebook.com are reasons not to hire you.

A recent poll conducted for Careerbuilder.com shows that 26 per cent of hiring managers admitted to using the Internet to perform background checks on job candidates. A further 12 per cent admitted to using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook as a screening tool.

Students are surprised to learn that their photos and details can negatively affect their job search. Those disparaging comments, risqué photos, inappropriate language and lewd jokes could be viewed as a reflection of their character by a potential employer. 

According to a financial service company’s HR Director, people should carefully consider their potential audience and the impression they may have based on their pictures, personal opinions and ideas may leave with them. “We were in the process of extending an offer to a great candidate, until his Myspace.com page was brought to our attention. He had a great résumé, went to an elite school and had impeccable references. However, our review of his online profile highlighted his recreational drug use. This made us immediately reconsider hiring him,” says the HR Director. “Our company is very conscious of client relations and our public image – we could not risk this candidate’s background being taken as a reflection of our organization.” 

A recent poll of Resume Solutions’ student clients showed that more than 60% of the respondents were unaware that their profiles on social networking websites could be viewed by potential employers. This is surprising, despite the increased media attention focused on employers reviewing Myspace and Facebook prior to making hiring decisions. 

Before you begin your new job search, it is recommended that you perform a Google search on your name to find out what a potential employer may read or see about you online. If any questionable content is discovered, content you would not feel comfortable having an employer or your parents view, then request that the site’s webmaster remove it immediately. If you encounter resistance in getting the content removed, let them know that they may be affecting your future job prospects. As a last resort, consider your legal options. Otherwise, construct a plausible response to a hiring manager’s inquiry. 

We are not advocating that social networking sites are to be used solely for job searching or building a web portfolio of your résumé and job skills, but it makes sense to remove as much of the negative content about yourself as is possible. You should be smart and discreet in your online communications and consider creating private profiles for just your family members and friends. 

There are many ways to create a “positive cyber profile” that does not affect your career prospects. College students can create personal web pages and profiles at social networking sites that include their résumés, hobbies, leadership activities and academic successes. You can also include appropriate photos of yourself. Use your online profile to demonstrate your excellent communication skills, establish a professional image of yourself prior to an in-person meeting, and demonstrate your diverse interests – things that can set you apart from other job seekers. 

As more and more users flock to social networking sites, the affect these sites have on the job search and candidate screening may include employers going even deeper into candidate’s personal and professional lives. It is therefore advisable to put nothing online that has the potential to hurt your future job prospects. Use common sense when creating an online profile. And remember that employers who do online searches are looking for reasons not to hire you.

Surranna Sandy is the President to www.ResumeSolutions.ca, a certified professional résumé writer, certified employment interview coach and a leading Canadian expert in Career Management. She leads a team of career coaches and professional resume writers in assisting job seekers from students to executives though her consulting firm Resume Solutions. You can reach her by e-mailing info@resumesolutions.ca.