According to the latest CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring. In 2006, only 11% of employers perused social media profiles pre-hire.

If you’re thinking, “Uh-oh,” right now, you might want to consider cleaning up your profiles and changing the way you post in the future. Staff Force, your Lewisville staffing agency, can help you optimize your social media profiles.

Here’s what employers are looking for when researching viable candidates on social media:

1. Information supporting the fact that the candidate is qualified for the position

2. Whether or not the candidate has a professional online persona

3. What others are posting on the candidate’s profiles or tagging the candidate in

4. Any reason at all not to hire the candidate

What Not to Post on Social Media

Remember to think before you post, as over half of employers have found content on social media that turned them away from a candidate.

1. Inappropriate or provocative photos, video or information

2. Posts about drinking alcohol and using drugs

3. Discriminatory comments about or related to gender, religion, or race

4. Negative posts about previous employers, employees, or companies

5. Lying about job qualifications

6. Poor grammar and communication skills

7. Anything linked to criminal behavior or activity

8. Sharing confidential information from previous employers

9. Unprofessional profile name, username, or handle

10. Lying about an absence from work

Why You Should Not Delete Your Profiles

If all of these rules are leading you down a path towards deleting your social media profiles completely, again, you might want to reconsider. Over half of employers are less likely to reach out to a candidate about a position if they have no online presence whatsoever.

What should you take away from this blog post? It’s simple. Consider the consequences of what you post before you post it.

Your Lewisville Staffing Agency

Interested in learning more about optimizing your social media presence for a better chance to get hired? Contact Staff Force, your Lewisville staffing agency, today.