Why do employers look you up online?
Despite it becoming a common practice to ‘Google’ a candidate prior to an interview, we still see plenty written in the press about people getting sacked or not offered a job because of their actions on social media platforms. So why do businesses really Google you, and are they simply trying to catch you out?
Here are our top five reasons why you might be Googled:
•Interviewees are human, and like you, they are curious beings. More often than not, they will simply want to know who they will be meeting.
•A business will want to see examples of activities you are involved with outside of work that demonstrate teamwork, so they may Google you to see what comes up. It may have been years ago but if you did some volunteer work, or took part in a sporting event it may appear in a search.
•With the boom in social media, employers may search the web to see if you are using blogs, or Twitter to discuss trends within the industry. A simple web search will bring up a blog or tweet you have written, or commented on.
•LinkedIn – one of the first things a recruiter or business will do is look you up on LinkedIn. Whilst they many have your CV, LinkedIn can provide further information about your expertise, but also what groups you belong to.
•Some employers may well look you up on Facebook to see what your profile is like, and to make sure you aren’t posting inappropriate content
So you know you might be Googled before your next interview - don’t panic but take note of our tips to ensure you shine:
•Google yourself and see what you find. You don’t want an interviewer to mention something that they have found online to find you have no idea what they are talking about.
•Ensure your privacy settings on Facebook are tight. This won’t indicate you are hiding something; plenty of people only share their Facebook profile with friends. After all you wouldn’t want a picture of you from a few years ago, or an inappropriate comment from a friend to ruin your job prospects!
•It may sound simple, but ensure that all content on your LinkedIn profile, is accurate but also error-free.
So before that next interview, look yourself up online to make sure you know what may be found. And follow our tips to make sure potential employers only see what you want them to, but also that what they do find is accurate.