Page 13 - 004 Magazine Mock Up FINAL V3:Layout 1

workingEDGE January 2016 | 13
Cuttin
g Edge Social Media Networking and Your CV. Social media is a key player in the job search process today. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ allow employers to get a glimpse of who you are outside the confines of a CV, cover letter, or interview—while they offer job seekers the opportunity to learn about companies they’re interested in; and hear about job openings instantaneously, among other things. That’s probably why half of all job seekers are active on social networking sites on a daily basis, and more than a third of all employers utilise these sites in their hiring process. To help job seekers better understand the role of social media in their job search, career builder.com conducted a survey last year that asked 2,303 hiring managers and human resource professionals if, how, and why they incorporate social media into their hiring process. First they found that 37% of employers use social networks to screen potential job candidates. That means about two in five companies browse your social media profiles to evaluate your character and personality – and some even base their hiring decision on what they find. CareerBuilder also asked employers why they use social networks to research candidates, and 65% said they do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally. About half (51%) want to know if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture, and another 45% want to learn more about his or her qualifications. Some cited “to see if the candidate is well-rounded” and “to look for reasons not to hire the candidate,” as their motives. So, if you’re among the 89% of job seekers that use social networking sites, you’ll want to be careful. A third (34%) of employers who scan social media profiles said they have found content that has caused them not to hire the candidate. About half of those employers said they didn’t offer a job candidate the position because of provocative or inappropriate photos and information posted on his or her profile; while 45% said they chose not to hire someone because of evidence of drinking and/or drug use on his or her social profiles. Other reasons they decided not to offer the job: the candidate’s profile displayed poor communication skills, he or she bad mouthed previous employers, made discriminatory comments related to race, gender, or religion, or lied about qualifications. The good news is that hiring managers aren’t just screening your social media profiles to dig up dirt; they’re also looking for information that could possibly give you an advantage. The Career Builder survey revealed that 29% of surveyed hiring managers found something positive on a
Builder survey revealed that 29% of surveyed hiring managers found something positive on a
profile that dr ove them to offer the candidate a job.
dr ove them to
offer the candidate a job.