While we’ve had an idea for awhile that some companies may be casually checking social media history before deciding whether to hire someone, a new report reveals that more and more companies are formally adding social media evaluations to their list of things that could disqualify a job candidate, alongside things like background checks and drug testing.
According to the 2018 MRINetwork Reputation Management Study, 18% of employers are now formally reviewing candidates social media profiles, while another 17% are considering following suit. As for what they are looking for, 39% say they are searching for questionable content or behavior, while 27% want to see active engagement in trade or professional associations, and 19% are looking for offensive social or political views.
Luckily, more and more job seekers are aware of how their social media presence affects their job search, with 48% of people saying they believe their social media presence is either important or very important to employers, and 70% aware that questionable content or behavior is a big red flag to possible employers. To avoid losing out on a gig because of their social media account, many make their profiles private, and then set up separate professional accounts just for recruiters and hiring managers.