Research conducted by Execunet demonstrates just how much an applicant's online presence is scrutinised, with 77% of recruiters saying that they would run an online search for applicants in order to extract some additional details. This statistic coincides with the startling assertion that 35% of recruiters had rejected an applicant based on their internet findings!
This data exemplifies just how important it is for graduates to be aware of their online profiles and to ensure that the image they are projecting will not be harmful to their employment prospects. Students are the majority consumers of the ubiquitous Facebook and have to be very wary of the implications which their account could have when they graduate. This wariness ought to be taken into account even more seriously considering the existence of entire companies, such as The Social Intelligence Corp, which are solely devoted to trawling the web and screening job applicants according to their online pictures and posts.
Words of caution are echoed by Shuvo Loha, director of a headhunting firm, who is quoted in the Guardian saying, "What seemed like a funny photo from university could end up costing you a job or an interview without you even knowing. Evidence of a negative or bad attitude, revealed through too much complaining or ranting, would put me off, as would anything that suggests a candidate is intolerant or extreme in opinion. Bad mouthing other people, especially employers, is out, as is anything that exaggerates or is too self-promotional."
In order to avoid jeopardising your prospects of getting a graduate job, here are some tips for maintaining a squeaky-clean online image.
