Posted

As employers sift through resumes searching for the right candidate matches, they use a simple—and evolving—set of tools to do this. Resumes are helpful, and so are cover letters. Interviews provide a great opportunity to see a candidate in person and get a sense of his or her personality. And as technology shifts and changes, most employers remain open to any tool or platform that can help them compare candidates and make an informed decision—especially if that tool is ethical, useful, and cost effective.

Now that search engines have become powerful and social media has appeared on the scene, employers are taking advantage of this new tool to make quick, inexpensive, and meaningful decisions that can narrow the pool. Responsible employers aren’t likely to replace resumes with internet searches just yet, but all the same, candidates can expect potential employers to search for their names at least once. When this happens, you’ll want to make sure that the results help you instead of standing in your way. Here’s how.

Clean up Your Social Media Profiles

Your social media profiles will probably show up first in the search, especially if you have a unique name. And when they do, employers are likely to skim through your Facebook and Twitter accounts and spend a little more time on Linkedin. If you don’t have profiles on these sites, that’s fine. But if you do, make sure that your privacy settings are locked down and your Linkedin profile reflects and supports the information on your resume.

Tighten Your Overall Image

You may not be able to control every result that appears in a general Google search; for example, if you were quoted in a local newspaper, you can’t hide or remove that article from your employer’s list of results. But you can certainly take steps to remove, edit, and clean up the items that belong to you. This can include your inappropriate blog or anything else your employer shouldn’t see should be removed from your online presence.

Flood the Feed with Positive News

You can also launch a flood of fresh new posts, tweets, and public comments that can support your goal and emphasize your commitment to your career. For more on how to create positive buzz and hide information that your employers shouldn’t see, contact the job search professionals at Expert.

 

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)