10 Ways to Ensure Your Social Media Accounts Are Attractive to Potential Employers

Welcome to Recruiter Q&A, where we pose employment-related questions to the experts and share their answers!

Today’s Question: Many employers admit to checking a candidate’s social media during the hiring process. So, what’s one thing job hopefuls can do to ensure all their profiles are attractive in the employment market to their potential bosses?

These answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization composed of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs.

1. Show That You’re Engaged

Show that you are engaging with other people in the industry. Employers want to see that you have a personal interest in the field, and by engaging with other industry professionals, you show that not only are you plugged in, but you are also constantly looking for the cutting-edge changes that will make you even more of an expert. Share industry news, talk with other experts, and show your excitement! — Liam Leonard, DML Capital

3. Display Proof of Work

To ensure your profiles are attractive to your potential bosses, I would personally recommend having proof of work. For me, it’s a game-changer when I see a candidate with a case study, a portfolio, or blogs and articles. In this digital age, it’s effortless to create something, show your work, and connect with anyone around the world. — Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME

3. Stay Clean and Professional

Whatever is done on social media can immediately impact a user’s role or position within a company while also reflecting on that organization’s reputation. With that being said, keep your social profiles clean and professional. They don’t need to be business-focused, but if something on there looks immature or unprofessional, it’s an immediate red flag to anyone hiring. — Zac Johnson, Blogger

4. Check Your Hashtag Use

To ensure that social media profiles are promising to potential bosses, candidates should check the hashtags they use in their posts. Many people use hashtags to be more candid or explain images in further detail. Ensure that your hashtags don’t include controversial, crude, or inappropriate language or themes that wouldn’t attract potential recruiters. — Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

5. Be Consistent

Make sure all your social profiles are consistent. The employment history on your resume should match your LinkedIn profile, and you should list your current job correctly on your personal pages. Having job titles, companies, and dates that don’t match will be a red flag for prospective employers. — Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design

6. Set All But LinkedIn to Private

I would recommend keeping only your LinkedIn profile searchable; you can make other profiles like Facebook and Instagram private. LinkedIn is for work so that you can optimize this profile for employers. It is challenging for you to optimize Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter profiles for recruiters because you don’t know what they may dislike in your profile. My recommendation is only to keep your LinkedIn profile public. — Piyush Jain, Simpalm

7. Participate in Related Interest Groups

Your interests and the groups you belong to online can say a lot about who you are and how passionate you are about your field. I recommend being part of different groups in your area of work. Also, mention interests that matter at your work in your profile too. Of course, you need to be active and contribute to the groups you belong to reinforce a solid online image. — Blair Williams, MemberPress

8. Delete Outdated Profiles

Most of us have old social media accounts. If you want to put your best professional image forward, I suggest getting rid of old, outdated profiles. The last thing you want as a 28-year-old developer is to discover that your boss found your profile from when you were a rambunctious 19-year-old. — John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC

9. Write Quality Articles

Candidates can make their profiles more attractive by creating articles. LinkedIn makes it easy for anyone to share their knowledge and expertise by creating articles and posts. It’s also the major social network that employers check. Articles showcase a person’s ability to communicate and think critically. So, create posts on relevant topics in your industry to make a good impression.— Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

10. Highlight Your Experience

I believe the key to making your profile attractive for employers is to show your work experience and how you choose to contribute to your community. For instance, if you work at an animal shelter, make that known on your profile. When employers see both professional experience and charity work, they are more likely to ask a candidate if they want the job. — Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights