You are being searched online! What recruiters look for?
It is no secret that most recruiters tend to dig deep into the depths of their potential candidate’s social media profiles. What impresses them and what turns them off?
According to a newly released survey, 92% of major corporate recruiters recorded social media as their number one tool to find high-quality job applicants. Here’s a complete guide on what recruiters are looking for in these social media profiles
Expertise
Expertise is a quality that can be demonstrated anywhere – be it at the workplace or via social media, it is one quality that defines itself. Basically, recruiters feel the need to know that their candidates are active communicators when it comes to talking about important aspects of the particular industry they belong to. This expertise can be demonstrated in the form of –
- Blogs about a pertinent topic
- Online communication with other experts on the topic
- Daily updates
A social media profile that oozes knowledge and active behavior regarding important industry related topics is what recruiters look for.
Ill-Advised Comments
Even though the best thing about social media is the fact that it advocates free speech, what a person says online must be well thought out. Ill-advised comments such as the following may repel recruiters.
- Slandering past employers – This is something most organizations take very seriously. Employers naturally demand a certain degree of respect from their workers. If they see a candidate bad-mouthing his/her past employee on social media that can be a huge issue. What if a company hires an individual only for that employment to not work out in the future – will they be ok with a former employee slandering them on the internet?
- Controversial statements regarding ethnicity, race, etc. – another major red flag that turns employers off. Overly political behavior on social media is condemned as well.
- Posts regarding illegal drug use are another major problem for recruiters. Would any company in the world be comfortable having one of their workers post about illegal drugs? Absolutely not. This is why candidates are advised to not post about anything illegal on their public profiles.
- Lewd comments about women – Sexual harassment is the key word in corporate culture at the moment. If an employer finds out that one of the workers is posting indecent comments about women openly on the social media, the organization are bound to be enraged. Since such behavior offline does not reflect company morals, recruiters make sure that all candidates suit this profile.
Personality
Now in particular, businesses are more inclined to hiring candidates based on the overall package they can provide. Unlike in the past when just work experience was more than enough to impress recruiters, employers understand that appointing the wrong person can totally shake off a group dynamic and instigate internal office issues that can disturb the commercial performance of the company. So, hiring people with similar values, desires, and objectives is becoming increasingly vital.
Make sure to constantly edit and rebrand social media profiles. If any of the mentioned issues are found, delete it before the recruiter finds it!
Summary
In the present scenario, a candidate’s social media profile is like a treasure for the recruiters. So it is important for you to know how to maintain your social image in the virtual world in order to impress recruiters. Try to exhibit your industry expertise, while avoiding slander or controversial statements on previous employers.
Reshali Balasubramaniam
Head of HR, HR Counselor and adviser at https://jobpal.lk and EFutureTech Systems. Submit your resume online and be contacted by prospective employers.