Can LinkedIn Prevent You From Finding A Job?
Some experts say 90% of employers will Google you before they invite you in for an interview. One study by CareerBuilder found 7 in 10 employers use social networking sites to research candidates during the hiring process. When was the last time you Googled your name? What appeared in the search results? What does your social media content and activity say about you?
LinkedIn is your new resume
Chances are, if you Google your name, your social media profiles will appear in the top 10 results, one of which is your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn has an impressive SEO ranking which can work in your favor or against you.
Many of us have enough material about ourselves on the internet to constitute the making of a pretty good resume. I’m not referring to only your profile but also your comments, likes, tags, and shares.
And I haven’t even mentioned all those images and videos on Instagram or TikTok yet. Every aspect of your online activity is discoverable by employers, subject to your privacy settings of course.
In today's job market, your resume is no longer enough. With LinkedIn, you have the opportunity to create an online profile that highlights your skills and experience. You can also use LinkedIn to connect with potential employers and recruiters. In addition, LinkedIn provides a forum for networking and professional development. Creating a strong LinkedIn profile will improve your chances of landing your desired job.
LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professionals looking to advance their careers. While LinkedIn has always been a great way to connect with potential employers, it is now becoming increasingly essential as a resume tool. More and more recruiters are using LinkedIn to search for candidates, and a well-crafted profile can make all the difference in getting noticed.
In addition, LinkedIn provides an easy way to keep your resume up-to-date, which is essential in today's competitive job market. With so many recruiters turning to LinkedIn, it is clear that having a strong profile is essential for anyone looking to find a job. Consequently, LinkedIn has become the new resume for professionals looking to advance their careers.
The good old days are gone
In today's connected world, it's important to remember that anything you post online - from social media to online dating profiles - can be used against you when you're job hunting. That's why knowing how your online presence can impact your career is important. While you may not think twice about sharing personal information online, potential employers are increasingly looking at candidate's social media profiles as part of the hiring process. As a result, what you share online can either help or hurt your chances of landing a job.
So if you're job hunting, be mindful of what you post online and expect your prospective employer to do some digging into your private life. By being aware of how your online presence can impact your career, you can take steps to protect yourself and ensure that you put your best foot forward when applying for jobs.
The good old days when you had control over your private life and job search are gone. In the past, the only way an employer could learn about you was from that piece of paper you call a resume in which you decided what content was relevant. You had absolute control over what went in that document and you could show your best side. You could omit anything embarrassing. But those days are gone for most of us. With sites like LinkedIn, your character, interests, and life are an open book.
What are they looking for?
Why do employers use LinkedIn and other social media sites to screen potential candidates? Well, they’re looking for something - anything disturbing. They want the complete picture.
Employers increasingly turn to the internet to research potential candidates in today's job market. A simple Google search can reveal a wealth of information about a person, and employers often use it to help them make hiring decisions. In particular, employers frequently look for signs of professionalism and a positive work ethic. For instance, they may check to see if a candidate has an up-to-date LinkedIn profile or online portfolio. They may also read online reviews or articles written by the candidate. By taking the time to research candidates online, employers can get a better sense of whether or not they would be a good fit for the organization.
Say you’re liking or commenting on posts that slam employers as cruel, heartless, and the problem with job hunting. Well, that will not work in your favor because of what I call the Fraternity Rule. The Fraternity Rule basically states that employers like to think of each other as members of a giant fraternity, and if you say something bad about one, you say something bad about the entire order.
The other thing most will look closely at is to determine if you were less than truthful on your resume. In the past, this was nearly impossible, short of hiring a private detective and reference checks after an interview. But now, LinkedIn and the internet have made this incredibly easy. Eighty-two percent of resumes have something that causes employers to verify some information. Apparently, people lie all the time on their resumes. If honesty was compelling enough, that statistic should be enough reason not to lie. The truth will come out, and you’ll wonder why you are no longer receiving interview requests.
There are some other things employers will look for on your LinkedIn profile. Some are more trivial than others depending on the job you’re applying for, but things like bad grammar or gross misspellings on your profile. Using bad words. Any signs of racism, prejudice, or jaw-dropping opinions. Or simply your overall tone of voice.
What should you do about your online image
Choose your friends or contacts wisely
Choose your friends or contacts wisely. Like regular life, surround yourself with people who will make you look good and not the other way around. You are the company that you keep.
It's important to choose your friends and contacts wisely, especially when it comes to business. Surrounding yourself with people who are successful and well-connected can only improve your own standing. On the other hand, if you associate with people who are not successful or connected, it will reflect poorly on you. Therefore, it's best to associate with people who can help you achieve your goals. Remember, you are the company that you keep. By surrounding yourself with the right people, you will improve your chances of success and make a positive impression on those who matter most.
Don’t get sucked into clickbait.
Those emotion-stirring, jaw-dropping opinions that provoke you to action; control yourself. Sometimes it’s best just to keep scrolling the feed.
In our age of digital media, it's easy to get swept up in the never-ending stream of content and click on things that we later regret. Whether it's a flashy headline that promises more than it delivers, or an opinion piece that enrages us, we've all fallen victim to click-bait at one point or another. The next time you find yourself about to click on something that you know you shouldn't, take a step back and ask yourself why you're doing it. What are you hoping to gain from reading this? More often than not, the answer is nothing. We read these things out of boredom or curiosity, but they rarely offer anything of value. So if you want to avoid wasting your time, resist the urge to click on that tempting link and keep scrolling.
Do an online audit
Do an online audit of your LinkedIn content and activity. In fact, do an audit of all your social media channels. In almost all situations, you can remove anything online that might be disturbing to a future employer before them Googling you or looking you up on LinkedIn.
Whether you're job hunting or not, it's always a good idea to take a close look at your online presence. In today's digital world, potential employers will often Google candidates before extending an offer, and a single embarrassing photo or post can be enough to ruin your chances. For that reason, it's important to audit all your social media channels regularly, removing anything that could be considered unprofessional. LinkedIn is a particularly important platform to keep clean, as it is specifically designed for business networking.
Be sure to delete any old posts that might no longer reflect your current views, and consider hiding or deleting any photos that could be interpreted incorrectly. Taking these precautions can help ensure that your online presence will make the right impression on potential employers.
Ask yourself, who do you want to be seen as
Ask yourself, who do you want to be seen as? Social media is a great way to show off things that your resume cannot. Things about who you are as an individual and as a professional. Who do you want to be known for? Are you an avid biker? You may want to include some imagery about how active you are, show off your team spirit in and outside of work, and your competitive nature. Hiring managers want to hire human beings, so don’t be afraid to show off your human side - provided it fits your ideal profile.
With the ever-growing presence of social media in our lives, it's important to remember that anything and everything we post online is out there for the world to see. Once something is posted, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to take it back. This is why it's important to think about who we want to be seen as online. Do we want to be seen as funny? As intelligent? As someone with great taste? It's up to us to decide how we want to present ourselves to the world. And while it's important to stay true to ourselves, we should also keep in mind that our online persona is often a distillation of our best selves. So if we want to be seen as successful, we should ensure that our online presence reflects that.
Complete your LinkedIn profile
Complete your LinkedIn profile. If you come across any sections that are not completely filled out, do it. Cross every t, dot every i, and have someone else check your profile. Do not leave any part of your profile blank. More than 740 million people are on LinkedIn, and it is the first place employers turn to when they are curious about you. For more help completing your profile, work with a LinkedIn expert to optimize your profile as part of Optim’s resume writing services.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can help you build your professional network and showcase your skills and experience. However, LinkedIn is only as effective as your profile. To make the most of LinkedIn, it is important to take the time to complete your profile. This means including an up-to-date photo, a detailed work history, and a well-written summary of your skills and accomplishments. Additionally, be sure to connect with former colleagues and classmates and join relevant groups. Taking these steps ensures that your LinkedIn profile is an asset in your career journey.