Many employers are using Facebook to screen potential
employees and do background checks, more than they rely on referees and former
work colleagues. This comes even as a recent survey shows that your Facebook
likes are a likely predictor to your behavior, political leanings and your
outlook of life. Here are three Facebook mistakes that you can easily avoid in
order to push your career forward.
1. Complaining About
Your Current Job
No matter how much you hate your boss, or how incompetent you
consider your boss to be, it’s not appropriate to post it on your Facebook
wall. While everyone complains about work sometimes, doing so in a public forum
where it can be found by others is not the best career move. Although it may
seem innocent, it's not the kind of impression that a potential boss will be
comfortable with.
2. False Profile
Information
We live in an age of instant gratification, and we all want
to appear like we have it all. If we see our friend posting that they have just
shopped at a mall in Westlands, we also want to follow up with an equally
captivating update. However, presenting yourself as someone you are not will
likely backfire, and might be
captured during the interview stage if you are
lucky enough to get past the screening of the CVs.
3. Bad Security
Settings
If you are going to use Facebook professionally, and even if
you aren't, make sure you take the time to go through your privacy options. The
best advice is to lock down your personal profile so that only friends you
approve can see anything on that profile. Then, create a second, public profile
on Facebook purely for professional use. This profile functions like an online
CV, and should only contain information you would be comfortable telling your
potential employer in real life.
In summary;
Remember that Facebook could easily help you get hired if
you use it correctly, but conversely, just as well get you fired if you use it
badly.
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