Social media may have an influence on your career both before you get hired and after you get hired.
These are thoughts intended to get you thinking about your use of social media and the availability of your data to employers.
For example, this
NZ company will check your social media as part of a 'Character Check', for $3
Before you get hired
If you consider that you would make a great junior developer, all of your social media should align with this goal.
- LinkedIn should focus on your professional skills and networks.
- Facebook and others should not have content that detracts from that professional focus.
Keep in mind that privacy settings on some platforms are intended to keep out people
you don't want, not people
the platform does not want. This means some employers or their recruitment contractors may have access to your 'private' posts.
LinkedIn
Set up an account today as those active on LinkedIn tend to have networks and these can take time to build.
Include a list of skills, for example, 'Programming' and 'Java'. Add to these skills as you take more courses, start personal projects and talk with people in industry about what is important.
Connect with your study colleagues, work experience coordinator and academics. Endorse a few skills.
Look to blog occasionally about tech stuff you have found interesting, whether part of your study, work or personal projects. Portray yourself as active, enjoying yourself and doing interesting stuff.
Facebook
Vet your posts and the posts of others, to ensure you are portrayed the way you intend. Re-examine that funny photo and ask yourself, would you employ that person? Avoid posting images that are overtly macho or sexual. Perhaps use your parents or grandparents experience to help define what might be acceptable to future employers.
Portray you. Be different, alternative, avant-garde, chilled, active, loving, family and friends oriented. Or none of these. But be you with class, confidence and maturity.
Post about your adventure, your journey with tech.
After you get hired
Keep up the social media presence, but be careful as social media
can get you fired.
Several core
'don't do this' items
- Trash talk customers, managers, owners, peers or company policies
- Make or share jokes poking fun at people representing diversity in the workplace
- Images within the workplace without checking the background to the photo
- Release what may be sensitive or confidential information
- Posts of you at the cricket or a concert on a 'sick day' (just take the day off!)
- Assume everyone at work shares your politics or religion
- Post images without asking the people in the image
Many companies will have a social media policy, ask to see it.
