Our current digital landscape provides a wealth of opportunities for networking that may not have existed pre-social media. With this increase in “connectedness,” however, comes an even bigger increase in risk. We are now open to the critique of hiring managers before we set foot in the door for a job interview. Rona Borre, the CEO and Founder of Chicago-based staffing agency Instant Alliance AKA The Chicago Tech Connector provides her “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to maintaining a professional social media presence:
Do:
Get recommendations from previous coworkers and managers. These recommendations will build the credibility of your LinkedIn profile and provide fodder for your claimed skillset. I recommend asking for recommendations soon after you transition out of the position, so your strengths and skills are top-of-mind for the people who will be writing about you.
Engage with and share articles or news relevant to your industry. Hiring managers want someone who is smart and capable, but most importantly they want someone who is passionate about their industry. Showing that you are aware of what is going on in your industry will give you a leg up on others applying for the same job. This can be as simple as sharing an article; you don’t need to be writing your own blog posts.
Remove old photos. No potential employer wants to Google you and find that photo of you funneling beer at a tailgate in college. It may have been cool then, but it is definitely not cool now. A single photo like this could cost you the job before you even get an interview, and you may never even understand why.
Don’t:
Badmouth brands or previous employers. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I don’t care if your flight was delayed or your boss was a jerk. You never know how people and brands are connected. That airline may be the largest corporate sponsor of the nonprofit you’re applying to. And if you’re venting in a public forum about a manager, it makes me question your professionalism, judgement and composure.
Connect with everyone who sends you a LinkedIn request. Obviously, it’s great to build and maintain a large online network, but I’ve gotten some pretty sketchy requests (even on LinkedIn). Once you connect with someone, they are a reflection of you. Anything they do or say online can have an impact on your presence. I recommend only accepting requests from people you know or who were referred to you by someone you know.
Get political. Look, we live in a complicated political climate these days. Everyone has opinions and feels the need to express them, but you never know who your hiring manager will be. If you feel the need to express yourself on Facebook or Twitter, please change your privacy settings accordingly.
