HubSpot recently published their 2016 Social Media Conduct eBook based on a recent studies on social media conduct. The study focused on employers and their use of social media. This applies to college applicants as well, hoping to be admitted to a college or university based on their resume. The bad news for some, according to HubSpot, is “social media is your resume”.

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According to a survey by careerbuilder.com, 41% of employers say they are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information about that person online. Job seekers should think of social media as an integral piece of their resumes and each should use social media to establish and showcase his or her personal brand. Employers aren’t necessarily scanning your social media profiles to look for problems, they’re looking for insight into how you’re living your day to day life. Val Matta, vice president of business development at CareerShift, describes it like this:

“What candidates do in their spare time and broadcast to the world through social media speaks volumes about their personal values and culture. The hiring manager knows that, in hiring that person, they’ll likely bring those values and culture into the office. So it must align with, or contribute positively to, the organization’s current culture.”

There are some positive aspects to the trend of connecting social media to employment. According to Jobvite, one in three employers who research candidates on social media have found content that made them more likely to hire a candidate. And, 23% found content that directly led to hiring the candidate. The trick is, then, to not avoid social media, but to be on social media and be thoughtful about what you post.

Your social media profiles, or lack thereof, tell employers so much about you. JobVite found that 55% of recruiters have reconsidered candidates based on their social media profiles. 61% of those reconsiderations were negative. That means 39% were positive. Those who got a positive reconsideration likely put some care and consideration into their personal brand. Make sure you’re controlling your personal brand and building up your social media profiles so they tell your story the way you want it to be told.

Related: Social Media: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Facebook Privacy Pitfalls

In an article called “Watch Your Mouth on Social Media,” Scott Kleinberg, nationally syndicated columnist and the former social media editor at the Chicago Tribune, wrote:

“I read a story not too long ago where someone tired of being the subject of abusive Facebook comments reached out and complained to that person’s boss. The company subsequently fired the person.” How did that happen? Kleinberg explains: “Your place of employment shows up next to your name on a Facebook comment when a website uses the Facebook commenting plug-in. So if you’ve ever seen a story online and noticed the comments look like Facebook, that’s why. But even outside of the plug-in, hovering over your name or anyone else’s name on Facebook proper can reveal the same information.”

“Nine times out of 10, what you say is being read by a much wider audience and information about the person saying it is more widely shared than you’d ever imagine.”

The advice in Mr. Kleinberg’s article is a must-read for anyone who uses social media.

 

Harsh Judgements

A social media page that makes your life look like a non-stop party is probably going to be judged harshly.

A study conducted by North Carolina State University concluded that:

A lot of employers and companies don’t really understand online behavior and many Facebook users aren’t getting hired as a result…Companies often scan a job applicant’s Facebook profile to see whether there is evidence of drug or alcohol use, believing that such behavior means the applicant is not ‘conscientious,’ or responsible and self-disciplined. However, the researchers found no significant correlation between conscientiousness and an individual’s willingness to post content on Facebook about alcohol or drug use. Will Stoughton, Ph.D. and lead author of the paper added, “This means companies are eliminating some conscientious job applicants based on erroneous assumptions regarding what social media behavior tells us about the applicants.”

Slang and Text Speak

The use of internet slang, texting language, poor grammar and misspellings is ubiquitous on social media and can signify poor communication skills. According to careerbuilder.com 29% of employers do not like to see posts that demonstrate poor communication skills.

Though 29% of employers are turned off by poor communication skills, the careerbuilder.com survey also found that 37% are more likely to hire a candidate whose social media profiles indicate great communication skills.

So, a serious job candidate who showcases his or her strong communication skills by submitting a professional resume undermines that effort when his or her social profiles are littered with internet slang, poor grammar, and misspellings.

It may not be a bad idea to keep up with trending internet slang words because today’s teenagers will soon be in charge. Gavin Hammar, CEO of Sendible.com, believes that “As this language becomes more allowed in educational settings, it will leave a lasting impact on the future generations. The young adults that are in high school right now are being directly affected by social media slang. These are the same people that will become the next business professionals, politicians and leaders of our world.”

Bottom line: if your student is applying to college and wants to be gainfully employed after graduation, it’s a good idea for them to “mind their manners” on social media.