There are many different social media platforms that employers look at during the hiring process to select people who are the best fit for the job. They look at social media profiles like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and any other personal social media accounts you may have. 

Before you consider applying for a job through websites like LinkedIn or Indeed, always consider going through your social media accounts first to make sure what the employer will see is professional. The majority of employers look at submitted applications as a secondary resume and prioritize social media first. But How exactly do employers find your social media profiles? 

How Do Employers Find Your Social Media? 

The way employers find your social media profiles is as simple as it seems, so always consider this as a factor that will play into the hiring process. Employers can find your social media accounts simply by searching your name to discover your profile. 

Several states in the U.S permit employers from asking a potential employee candidate their login information to a social media profile that may be displayed as private, but hiring managers are allowed to view information and photos from any public account that they may find. 

Another way employers can find your social media profiles is through online background checks, which provide social media accounts, employment history, and more. If you would like to see how you can perform a background check on yourself, learn more with Kiwi Searches.

What Do Employers Look For During the Hiring Process?

There are so many things to consider when applying for a job, especially when it comes to social media profiles. These accounts you may have, either public or private, play a huge role in how hiring employers select candidates for a specific job. But what do employers look for during the hiring process? 

There seems to be a concept of red and green flags to look for when an employer is searching for a new employee. Here is a list of green flags employers may consider when searching through your social media profiles: 

✔ Posts on Education or professional experiences. 

✔ Qualifications and evidence of work experience (like the ones mentioned on your resume). 

✔ Positive posts and comments about yourself, other colleagues, or organizations. 

✔ Posts including awards you may have received. 

✔ Positive comments from others, references, and recommendations. 

✔Creative posts. 

Although this may seem self-explanatory, here are some of the red flags employers consider during the hiring process: 

✘ Discriminating comments about yourself or others. 

✘ Inappropriate photos or comments (this includes political, racist, and gender-oriented). 

✘ Posts including the use of alcohol (in a party setting), or using drugs. 

✘ Qualifications that do not add up with what is on your resume. 

✘ Negative comments or confidential information from a previous employer. 

These green and red flags have a huge impact on your chances when it comes to applying for a job. Always make sure you avoid any of the red flags mentioned above and incorporate any of the green flags to boost your possibility of obtaining that job you are applying for. 

What Social Media Accounts Do Employers Look At The Most?

There are many social media platforms out there and the ones that are used the most gain a lot of attention from employers when it comes to the hiring process. Here are the three main social media accounts employers look at when searching for a potential employee. 

• LinkedIn
  • Employers may look at your LinkedIn profile to view any of your skills and past experiences that may fit the job position they are looking to fulfill. Remember, this is a public profile so make sure it is as up-to-date and professional as possible.

• Facebook
  • An employer might look up your Facebook profile to find more information that they would consider when deciding whether or not to offer you the position or not. A few things they might consider when looking through your Facebook profile are images, Facebook posts, shared content, and content you may be tagged in as well. 

• Twitter
  • Twitter is a platform for users to share information through text, images, videos, as well as podcasts. Although Twitter is a great space to express yourself, it is also one of the top three social media platforms employers look at during the hiring process. Always be sure to never tweet, share, or repost any inappropriate information and treat your profile as if it were a professional account. 

How to Make  Your Social Media Accounts Appeal to Employers

If you are concerned about your social media accounts affecting your possibility of obtaining a job position, here are a few ways to make sure your social media accounts appeal to employers. 

• Fill out your bio

Having a complete bio description on your social media accounts adds to your chances of getting hired. Employers look at your social media profiles to find your Facebook, LinkedIn, or even Twitter accounts so make sure to add links to these profiles as well to add to your personal and professional experience. If you include these networks in your bio it will show you are ready to progress in your career. 

• Delete any unprofessional photos

It is important to make sure you do not have any inappropriate or unprofessional photos, especially of yourself, on your social media accounts. The last thing a hiring professional wants to see is that you were out partying so keep your profiles clean!

• Use a professional email address

Having a professional email address is very important if you are looking to be hired for a job. If you have a public email address on your social media, leave a good impression on employers by having an email address that includes your full name followed by a respectable provider, like Gmail.