Recruitment Agency Now

Navigation

Loading...
You are here:  Home  >  RA Now Opinion  >  Current Article

Why we all need to think twice about how we’re perceived online

April 14, 2016  /   No Comments

It may have come as a surprise to some that the older generations in the workforce were less cautious about how their careers were perceived online.

At least this was the finding of a survey by CV-Library, which claimed that 16 to 24-year olds, also known as Generation Z, are more likely to be aware of the risks of posting pictures on social media or that a potential employer might look them up on Google.

It’s an interesting paradox that younger candidates are much better at building an online presence, yet do so fully aware of how they might be perceived by potential employers, while the rest of us seemingly throw caution to the wind, according to CV-Library.

But awareness of our online personalities is something workers of all ages needs to develop. Historically, the first time your new employer would really get to know you would be on the first day of your new job. But now your manager and team mates can Google you or find you on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to gather up a first impression of who you are. And if the first thing they find are those birthday photos, your impression on them won’t be great.

Indeed, one of the factors brought up by CV-Library’s survey is that certain aspects of our online profiles could lead potential employers to discriminate against candidates, and this isn’t just a case of unconscious race or gender bias. People make judgements based on what they see us doing, the language we use, even things like hobbies or the football team we support, so it’s important to cultivate an image you wouldn’t mind a new employer seeing and judging.

Whether it’s your own profile or that of your candidates, make time to do a social media audit. Adjust privacy settings on Facebook, and on publicly viewable platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, edit the photos you show and the language you use. It’s not about creating a ‘perfect’ image of someone who doesn’t like to have fun – you need to keep some personality in there – but think about how it complements your career aspirations and role.

As software becomes more sophisticated and employers deploy ever greater search mechanisms to find the best candidates, giving the right impression will become more important than ever.

    Print       Email
  • Published: 8 years ago on April 14, 2016
  • Last Modified: April 13, 2016 @ 2:29 pm
  • Filed Under: RA Now Opinion

RA Now TV

RA Now 2016 Preview

RA Now 2016 Preview

View all →

Your Voice

  • Oct 11
    Via @IOR_JoinUs on Twitter  Facebook accused of discriminating against women with male-targeted job adverts http://flamepost.com/u/lHi Read More
  • Sep 27
    Via @agencycentral on Twitter  Need an introduction to recruitment agency regulations? The laws and regulations recruiters absolutely need to know about. http://bit.ly/2N1ndyh Read More
  • Sep 13
    Via @greg_savage on Twitter People don't leave companies. They leave leaders! http://ow.ly/B8Fh30lNqjQ   Read More
  • Jul 19
    Via @recmembers on Twitter Google for Jobs launched today in the UK – in case you missed it, here’s REC marketing manager Michael Oliver's blog on how agencies can take advantage > https://t.co/1dHnR9P4Dl Read More

RSS News

Archive