Could Facebook Damage Your Job Search?
February 10th, 2010 by Harold Ford
Yes, according to a recent study conducted by Microsoft. In the study, Microsoft surveyed 2,500 HR Managers and Recruitment Professionals, and 70 per cent of responders said they rejected a candidate because of their online behavior. 28% said they terminated an existing employee due to content found on a social networking site.
However, responders also said that building a strong personal brand on social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn can help candidates. Peter Cullen, of Microsoft, said: “Your online reputation is not something to be scared of, it’s something to be proactively managed. These days, it’s essential that web-users cultivate the kind of online reputation that they would want an employer to see.”
“Eight-six percent of HR professionals believe that online reputation has had a positive impact on an applicant,” said Cullen. “Having a positive online reputation can be just as influential [as having a negative one].”
How do you manage your online reputation? What have you done to build your personal brand?
March 9th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
You make a good point, Harold. It’s not that we should avoid social media but we should be smart about what we decide to post.