by Jan Nussbaum
Assistant Director for Professional Development
I read in the Chicago Tribune last week that employers are not only keeping an eye on their employees' social networking sites for inappropriate content, but now employers are also screening job applicants by what their social networking sites contain.
While I know most of you are well aware that your social networking sites should not contain pictures of inappropriate or racy behavior, did you know employers are now going a step further to see what kind of attitude a potential applicant may have? Candidates are being rejected not only for bad-mouthing previous employers but for any type of negative comments on their social networks.
As reported in the Tribune: "Even posting information deemed to have a negative tone can turn off some employers, according to Vlad Gorelick, CEO of Reppler, a Palo Alto, Calif., firm that helps social media users 'manage their online image.' From what employers have told him, Gorelick said, it's a bad idea to constantly post 'I hate this' or 'this really sucks,' because it suggests you might be negative at work. After all, he added, 'Do you want to have somebody sitting next to you who is complaining all the time?'"
While employers often find positive information about job seekers, think twice about posting images or information an employer might in any way consider as evidence that you are not fit for the workplace. Keep that in mind as you social network.
Click here to read the full article, which also touches on privacy and discrimination issues.
