Have you ever seen the profiles of candidates dressed up at a disco party using a beer bong? What about the candidates that leave hateful comments about their co-workers and bosses? The wonder of self-publishing has given rise to a new danger for candidates, and Lance Haun at YourHRGuy.com write about the phenomenon of netwoking yourself out of a job.
Having an employer who encourages online professional networking can be a Catch-22 situation. If you aren’t engaged with these sites, you might fall out of the inner circle. However, becoming too involved can reflect poorly on your professionalism. It is important to find a sensible balance and to do the brunt of your networking off the clock.
Companies around the world now screen online networks for candidates coming in for interviews. We all are suspect as it depends how much personal as well as professional information is posted on our profiles. From religious requirements to single or married questions to political leanings, the information about us in social networks has an impact on recruiters, and they're not always talking about it. You thought background checks were invasive, but social networks, for all their value, or an implicit invitation to compare your friends and connections in determining if you are suitable to hire.
It’s a great idea to belong to the same network that your future employer or co-workers belong to. Being able to socialize online and comment to one another about new and interesting things shows how involved you are with your friends, colleague, and employers. You might even get recruited from our connections. To do so requires that you learn to manage your online profile, avoid controversy, and maybe not that post the picture of you having a chugging contest with your friend in accounting.
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