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Social Media and Future Employers

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Did you know that social media matters in the workplace? Generally, colleges do not emphasize social media skills as part of their curriculum, but maybe they should! Most companies nowadays have a social media presence and this means your social media presence matters. As Liberal Arts students, your communication and arts skills have easy translation to the social media world. Take advantage!

 This blog post will tell you a few things to do and a few things to avoid when it comes to your online presence!
  • There are 3.5 billion people in the world that use social media, about 45% of the population.  
  • On average, people spend approximately 3 hours per day on social media.  
  • Between 2018 and 2019, social media grew by 328 million which roughly translates to 10 new users every second.  
These statistics mean that having a strong social media presence can be powerful. Social media can be an important literary tool to help you when looking for a job.  

The CareerBuilder study showed that 58% of employers conduct social screenings in order to find support for a candidate’s job qualifications. 50% want to make sure that the candidate’s online presence is professional. 34% want to see what other people have posted about the candidate. 

 When constructed properly, a social media presence can positively aid someone while looking for a job. For example, a few well-written posts by an English major can show a future employer that they can be professional and can see their English skills being utilized. 

 In that same study, about half of employers said that they wouldn’t call a person for an interview if they can’t find them online. There are many people in the world who avoid social media and while this can be a good thing in a few aspects, this can actually hurt someone who is looking for a job. Many people think that those who are completely absent from social media are hiding something, including prospective employers.  

When creating an appropriate social media presence, there are a few kinds of posts you want to avoid: 
  1. Provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos, or information. 
  2. Drinking or using drugs 
  3. Discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion, etc... 
  4. Criminal behavior 
  5. Proof of lies about job qualifications 
  6. Unprofessional screen name 
  7. Bad mouthing previous company or fellow employees 
  8. Sharing confidential information from previous employers 
These are just a few things to avoid. Essentially, your personal social media needs to impress future employers. It should show them that you can be professional, truthful, and genuine.  

Knowing how to use social media accurately will be an asset to any employer. You can add your experience with social media to help the company you want to work for. 

For example, last summer, I interned for a marketing company. I wrote and edited content for their blog. I also helped manage a few of their client's social media accounts. The skills that I learned and practiced will help me in the future. I now know how to write a compelling post for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I know how often to post and the kind of photos that help to sell a product. Whether or not I work for a marketing company in the future, I can apply these skills in nearly any position. When applying for jobs, I can now refer employers to the work that I helped to create. This is a great way to let them see firsthand how I applied these skills. 

Pairing visual elements with the literary elements can really influence a viewer. This is a skill that will be used in many social media platforms; Instagram, Facebook, blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc... It will be necessary for nearly all prospective jobs. 

These days, this skill isn’t a rarity. For most people younger than 40, it’s not hard to pair words with pictures. Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Vine, and many other platforms have taught the younger generations this skill and others including how to connect and network.  

If anything, this post is basically saying that despite the flaws that social media has, it absolutely has strengths as well.  While the internet is something to be wary of, it can be an incredible asset to you when you're looking for employment!
Find the CareerBuilder study at https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/social-media-survey-2017

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