Looking for your first internship or job? You probably already got your resume ready and have your best power outfit on hand. But if you haven’t cleaned up your social media profiles it’s time to start making sure your digital footprint matches the professional impression you’re trying to make.
We’ve all heard the stories of high potential leaders or rising political stars whose dreams were dashed by an ill-conceived online post. Don’t make those same mistakes. Follow these easy steps to clean up your social profiles before your big job hunt and make sure that the only thing your future employer sees about you online makes them want to work with you even more.
Step 1: Find out what they can see.
First things first, you have to know what’s already out there online about you. This is what prospective employers are going to see when they go looking and you don’t want to be surprised.
Google yourself and go through the first three pages of results. Most employers won’t look beyond the first page but dig a little deeper just in case someone has time on their hands. If there’s anything that comes up that you’re embarrassed of, reach out to the person who posted it and ask that they take it down. Most people will oblige once you explain that you’re looking for a job. If they won’t or can’t, be prepared to explain if an interviewer or manager asks you about it.
Next, sign out of all of your social media accounts so you can see your profile from a stranger’s perspective. Type your name in and see what comes up. Also search by the email address you listed on your resume. Take note of how easy or hard you are to find and what kind of information the public can see about you. Navigate a bit to see what pictures or statuses are viewable by anyone with an internet connection.
Step 2: Decide whom you want to share with.
If you’re happy with what’s publicly viewable for you, great! Sounds like you’ve been proactive about managing your digital reputation. If not, it’s time to adjust your sharing settings so you can control who can see what.
First things first, start with your profile picture. Make sure that the picture that comes up with your account is one that you’re comfortable with an employer seeing. You may have looked great on the beach last spring break but you don’t necessarily want someone who’s interviewing you to know what you look like in a bathing suit.
Now look at the rest of your page. Is there anything coming up that you wouldn’t want a manager to see? If so, take it down. Better yet, protect all of your accounts so that only those you approve can see what you post. Make sure you also protect what friends of friends can see. It’s not uncommon to have a few contacts in common with a hiring manager, especially in tight knit startup communities.
Step 2A: Go incognito & rebrand.
If you don’t want to take down your posts or protect your content, you can also change your screen name to something non-specific that isn’t linked to your first and last name. If you go this route though, make sure to change the email linked to your account. Again: if you have friends or contacts in common with the person searching, you may also come up as a suggested friend. Only go this route if you’re okay with potentially being found out or if there is very little overlap between your personal and professional networks.
If you do this, go the extra step and create a “professional” social media account. In this day and age, employers expect to be able to find something about you online. Having zero digital footprint will probably cause an eyebrow or two to raise. Instead, create a new account. Use a simple profile picture (your smiling face is a great choice). Use your first and last name.
Step 3: Decide what you want to share.
You want whatever anyone can find out about you to only add to their estimation of you, not detract. In general, keep your posts pretty simple and generic. Give a small glimpse into your life and personality. Shots of a favorite hobby or scenery from your last vacation will both work. Cute small things like pets or babies always work too. Mundane musings and details about your life are fine to share.
Beyond that err on the side of caution any time you are sharing or weighing in on a topic that is in any way controversial. Keep your political views offline. Even topics that you think most reasonable people would agree on can become a lightning rod under the right circumstances. With today’s ever changing and contentious political landscape, best to steer clear completely.
Think twice before you post anything negative about a brand or person. It’s very common to fire off a tweet about your displeasure in an angry moment and forget about it. You don’t want that time you lamented about how much you hate customer service reps are to come back to bite you while interviewing for a customer success position. Same goes for sarcasm. Ask yourself if someone who didn’t know you or your sense of humor would find the post funny too. If not, best to share it on a group text with your friends rather than the whole internet.
Step 4: Create your own social media policy.
It’s common for coworkers at many companies to be friends outside of work. There are plenty of places where the lines between work and personal life are pretty blurry. In fact, at VFA, most of us do follow each other on social media. This approach works for many members of our team, but plenty of people may find this uncomfortable and that is totally fair.
Once you start working, decide for yourself how comfortable you are with your coworkers following you on social media. I have friends who have a hard and fast “no coworkers” policy and others who take an “all are welcome” approach.
Decide for yourself what your personal policy is going to be and be prepared to have to explain yourself if asked. If everyone else follows each other online and you reject their requests, there may be some hurt feelings. Practice saying gently “sorry, I just have a strict no coworkers policy when it comes to social media. It’s not personal.” People can respect that kind of stance if you deliver the message gently.
Remember, when it comes to social media, ask yourself if you’d be okay with what you’re posting to be up in lights in Times Square or on the front page of the New York Times. If not, think twice and share with a trusted friend instead.