Nearly half (45%) of job hunters said past Twitter activity should never be taken into account by prospective employers, according to a recent survey from Hays, the leading recruiting expert.
However, 55% agreed that employers should look at a potential employee’s Twitter account when considering them for a role. Of the group who deemed it to be acceptable, 42% said the decision was dependent on an employees’ occupation. Under a fifth (13%) said tweets should never be taken into account by prospective employers.
Steve Orr, Director at Hays comments “The growing use of social media is increasingly blurring the line between people’s personal and professional lives. While no employer should make a hiring decision based entirely on what they see online, it’s now extremely easy to find out an incredible level of personal detail about potential employees with just a quick search.’
Top five tips to be social media smart:
Consider creating separate personal and professional accounts
Think carefully about what you share and where, if it’s something you wouldn’t want a new employer to see, don’t post it
Look the part: choose a recent and professional profile photograph
Keep up to date: add contacts and accomplishments regularly
Check privacy settings regularly so you know what’s going public in your name
To view the new Hays social media guide with more tips and advice visit: www.hays.co.uk/socialmedia
Survey results from an online poll of 492 visitors to hays.co.uk, collected in April 2013
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