Op-Ed

Social Media: Helps or Hurts your Career, and What About your Privacy?

 

By Sarah Emily Brown Opinion writer June 14 at 7:00 PM

 

In the more recent years, a common topic of conversation I have with peers and adults is the content on my social media accounts.  The conversation revolves around whether or not someone would be impressed with my account or not, especially future employers.  Social media and applying for jobs also raises the question, how much should an employer search online about a potential employee?  I believe that social media can harm future employment opportunities, and that employers have the right to obtain information on potential and current employees from online sources.

 

A study in 2017 stated that 70% of employers search social media when hiring job candidates (CareerBuilder, 2017).  In this day and age, I am not surprised by that statistic.  Technology has grown to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, part of people’s lives.  Most people do not go anywhere without their cell phones, constantly capturing images and moments, posting clever statuses, or sharing posts.  There is a vast amount of information available to employers because of how often people post on their social media accounts.  In a survey, two out of five companies explained that they search social media accounts because these searches provide the best look at a person’s personality and character (Brentbecker, 2018).

 

When on social media sites, I often come across posts that make me think, “did this person think about what he or she was about to post?”  I frequently see pictures of underage drinking or someone at a social gathering maybe a little too intoxicated.  Often, offensive language is used in posts about work, family, or friends after a long or hard day.  Lately, I have seen personal opinions about politics that I believe would best be kept offline.  All of these factors, and more, can influence a potential employee’s chances of being offered a job if employers investigate social media sites.

 

Soon-to-be graduates and job seekers have been encouraged to create a LinkedIn profile and to keep it updated.  I had to create one last semester for a required business class.  Students were told that employers have been using the site more and that potential employers could contact you directly on this site.  What I did not know is that, 63% to 65% of employers are more likely to look at your Facebook account than your LinkedIn account (Hansen, 2017).  Knowing that, you may want to consider making your Facebook page appear more professional, along with other social media sites.

 

Once hired at a job, you have to be aware of what you post online and when you post it.  You must keep in mind the items discussed earlier (pictures, offensive language, and politics) and what impression these might leave with coworkers and supervisors.  Additionally, you have to be sure not to complain about the job or your boss on social media.  Even after hiring an employee, 51% of employers continue to look at employee’s social media (CareerBuilder, 2017).  Meaning, getting a job does not mean you can change your online habits.  You are just as likely to get searched after getting the job, as you are before getting the job.

 

Also, you must be conscious of when you are posting.  If an employer goes on your social media and sees a posting in the middle of the day when you should be “working,” it could potentially damage your career.  I have fallen victim to my boss walking by, when my phone is in my hand.

 

Furthermore, the job search process opens up the door to concerns about privacy issues.  How much do employers need to know, and is it an invasion of privacy?  My opinion is that if you want a company to hire you, you need to represent them positively.  If your social media shows that you have publicly bashed previous jobs or co-workers, or have habits that could be perceived as negative, unhealthy, or addictive, an employer probably will not hire you, which I respect.  When you are hired, you become a new face to the organization, if someone does a quick Google search and finds social media sites where you are half naked or taking drugs, that will most likely repulse future customers.

 

All in all, technology is a necessity today, but how you use your social media accounts could affect you forever.  Although your social media may not represent the whole you, sometimes it is the only information that employers use to make employment decisions.  It is important to keep that in mind when posting.  Once something is online, it is there forever.  Next time you post, keep in mind that your future employer may be watching!

 

 

Work Cited

 

Brentbecker. “How Your Social Media Profile Could Be Having a Negative Effect on Your Job Search.” Pro Resources Staffing Services, 4 Apr. 2018, www.proresources.com/2018/01/26/social-media-profile-negative-effect-job-search-auburn-in/.

 

CareerBuilder. “Number of Employers Using Social Media to Screen Candidates at All-Time High, Finds Latest CareerBuilder Study.” PR Newswire: News Distribution, Targeting and Monitoring, PRNewswire, 15 June 2017, www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/number-of-employers-using-social-media-to-screen-candidates-at-all-time-high-finds-latest-careerbuilder-study-300474228.html

 

Hansen, Josh. “Social Media Is Hurting Young People’s Career.” CareerEnlightenment.com, 12 Oct. 2017, careerenlightenment.com/is-social-media-helping-or-hindering-young-peoples-career-prospects.