The use of social media in the recruitment process

In the current context, social networking sites have taken the Internet by storm. Many of them, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Snapchat, are now an integral part of our lives and it’s easy to be careless when using them. When this carelessness happens, it can have far-reaching consequences, even affecting job candidates during the recruitment process. Here are some behaviours to avoid on social media if you want all the odds in your favour when looking for a new job.

Do recruiters look at social media

What a question, you might say! LinkedIn is now one of the most used recruitment tools by headhunters. A very large part of the job market is gathered there. It is important to improve your LinkedIn profile if you want to be noticed by recruiters, and to improve it in the right way! But this isn't the only social network that can be used. Anything that provides information about you can be checked out. A company bets a lot when it hires a new employee, so it puts all the chances on its side to better understand the personality of the candidate. So make sure you only show what you want others to see! Let's take a look at three behaviors to avoid in order to limit the impact of social networks on your recruitment.

Three social network behaviors that can hurt you in the recruitment process

In order to avoid any mishaps in the future, our recruitment agency in finance reveals what you should not do.

1. Posting inappropriate information on social networks

People aren’t always seem to be conscious of the fact that they sometimes post images or messages that aren’t suitable for everyone. While this information is often of a personal nature, it’s important to remember that you will eventually represent the company you work for and that each of your reprehensible behaviours can also negatively impact the company. While sharing certain information on social media can be good, you need to understand how to draw the line between what is and is not acceptable. While most candidates are aware that party pictures are inappropriate for professional social networks like LinkedIn, they often overlook the dangers of uploading these posts on Facebook or Instagram. Also, no matter if you express your point of view on social, religious, or political issues, you should always be cautious because certain people might be shocked by your line of thinking. A company conveys values as part of its employer branding and it cannot afford to tarnish its image through employees who are not conscientious in this regard.

2. Using social media as an outlet

In the past, many workers made the mistake of sharing their frustrations and problems at work on social media. This stress-releasing strategy can have disastrous consequences on your employability. The use of social media in the recruitment process should prevent you from writing such complaints. Talking negatively about your boss or the company you work for on social media is rarely a winning strategy. In short, if you have had a bad day, think carefully before launching hostilities online. If such negative comments are available on your profile, a potential employer may well penalize you for fear of being attacked and ending up in an awkward position. You must always remember that, depending on the extent of your friend list and your subscriber count, you can reach a very large audience. Bitter criticism of a company or its team can do a lot of damage to you and the target company.

3. Exchanging sensitive information on social networks

Not only can social media be misused, but it can also be dangerous. If you share personal information, always be sure to check the profiles of the people you are communicating with. Some Internet users have been victims of hacking and the information you share could cost you your employment. If you are careless or share sensitive information on your profile, a recruiter might well wonder if you are a trustworthy person. Certain jobs require extreme vigilance and discretion when it comes to exchanging documents or files. Show that you are a reliable person and avoid disclosing too much information.

Fed Finance is here to help you find a job in finance

In short, social media can be a great professional tool. However, you must ensure that it doesn’t backfire on you by adopting safe and vigilant behaviours when using it. To find more information on professional recruitment, or find job offers in the finance sector, do not hesitate to contact our advisers. They will be happy to contribute to your success with their recruitment process expertise.