Social media is an inseparable part of modern culture, and savvy companies have realized that social media channels aren’t just marketing: they’re customer service, public relations, and damage control, and they can have a huge effect on consumer trust.
For these reasons, many companies are taking social media presence into account when hiring top positions. Executives are in the public eye more than ever, and companies aren’t just looking to see that there’s nothing unpleasant lurking in your social media history; they want to know that you can handle the demands of digital media.
Social Media Checkups
Perhaps one of the biggest considerations in terms of social media when you’re applying for executive positions is to make sure that there’s nothing posted that could represent you in a negative light.
Mistakes on social media can sabotage your career search, as companies are becoming unwilling to risk scandal based on ill-advised posts. While social media snark is often embraced and applauded, too much negativity can give the wrong impression of you. Choosing to rant or engage in arguments about sensitive topics like politics or religion can also be a black mark when it comes to potential employers.
It’s important not just to check on your own post history but to look into your reputation online. Things other people post to you and about you can negatively impact your online image, so it’s best to start that damage control early.
Maintain a Savvy Presence and Strong Personal Brand
Having a competent social media presence isn’t just for marketers and social media managers. The digital age is also the age of Ted Talks, viral motivational content, and celebrity CEOs. “Thought leader” is a popular term, and many businesspeople use social media to share insights and develop followings and communities.
Being one of those thought leaders requires a certain amount of cultural significance and the ability to disseminate your message. The good news is that many platforms give you the opportunity to do this. The trick is getting noticed and developing a community around a common set of ideas.
Platforms like LinkedIn are excellent for business users and entrepreneurs, as well as job seekers. It’s not just a job-seeking and hiring platform, it’s possible to create large communities of connections and to cultivate a professional image with the content you produce. LinkedIn allows you to gather endorsements from other professionals and demonstrate your expertise, gaining that ever important element of “social proof.”
Social media turns job seeking into something like marketing. Curating your professional image is easier than ever, but it’s also easier to damage it.
Many employers even turn to social media for recruitment, using it as a primary method of finding candidates rather than just using it to check on your background. It’s more important than ever to have a strong presence on social media because it demonstrates to employers an understanding of modern communication, both in and out of the workplace.
Social media is a tool that companies increasingly rely on to interact with consumers and to source talent. Word-of-mouth recommendation goes further, and the more social proof you can gather that you’re not only a trusted expert in your field, but a savvy and scandal-free social media user, the better your chances of landing the positions you aspire to.
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