Much goes into a job search, but we often forget one of the necessary items to do when in between jobs: manage our social media platforms. As we all know by now, our social media can cost us our jobs. We offer our advice on updating and managing your social media while between jobs to ensure your platforms are work appropriate.

Search

The first step in managing your social media between jobs is executing a simple search of your name. Plugin your name into Google and any other search engine to see what pops up. Investigate any links that are connected to you. Check to see that the links are appropriate enough for a future employer to view. You will want to remove any content that does not shine a good light on you, such as divisive opinions, derogatory remarks, angry rants, and so on. Check out the images section of the search and delete any images of you that are not appropriate. When deciding whether a picture is proper, a good rule of thumb is to delete those you second guess.

Privacy

We have the luxury of posting and sharing what we want on our personal platforms, but that can come at a cost. Be sure to check all of your social media platforms and make them private, at least while searching for a job. If you don’t want to make your platforms private, consider changing your username so employers can’t find you with a simple name search. Some ideas include dropping your last name or using a middle name. Remember that you can also make certain information on your profile private such as employment history, friends list, photos, posts, and beyond. Taking this action will allow your profile to remain public while keeping aspects of your page private.

Contact Information

If you actively use LinkedIn (and you should), make sure your contact information is up-to-date. Often, many people will link their LinkedIn accounts to their work email. To ensure you are getting your messages from LinkedIn, check your contact information and set it to your personal email account.

DIVERSANT Can Help

DIVERSANT, an ACS Company, has helped thousands of job seekers successfully conduct job searches. We assist with resume reviews and interview prep and guide our candidates and consultants to ensure they are fully prepared to execute a job search. Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your next job search.