Does your online profile match what is included in your resume? Don’t delude yourself into thinking that recruiters are not using every tool they have at their disposal to research those candidates they are considering for a face to face interview. Interviewing face to face uses valuable time and resources, and the costs just keep rising. Corporations are also using social media in their background screening and security checks. You can be declined even after being offered a position if they find anything online that would be derogatory in nature to their company. This includes radical political views, religious views, nudity of course, or anything they think may reflect badly on their firm. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s unnecessary if you follow a few simple guidelines.
Recently I have had to address this issue with quite a few candidates. I have their resume in hand and have reviewed it. My next step is usually to see if they have a LinkedIn profile. We look at the details of this profile to see if it matches the resume. This includes discrepancies in dates of employment, employers that don’t show up on the resume at all, education, and the head shot. If the stars are not aligned on all these points this is a big red flag for us!
Make sure that your LinkedIn Profile exactly matches all of the information in your resume, and keep it current. Also, do NOT use headshots that are:
- You on vacation in a bathing suit
- You in a floppy hat with a cocktail in your hand
- You striking a sexy pose
- You standing in your bedroom or bathroom
- Wearing sunglasses
- From 25 years ago and so “Photoshopped” that you are unrecognizable upon meeting you in person ie Oprah on the cover of “O” every month. How she loses 100 lbs every time she gets her picture taken is a miracle!
I have seen all of these things. Pretty unbelievable, but TRUE! In the age of the “selfie” don’t be tempted to put up every picture of yourself. Save it for your “non-public” Facebook page. As I have learned over the past year or so, I can also see people in my “people pane” in Outlook in LinkedIn or on Facebook. You need to turn this functionality on, but once you do you’d be surprised what comes into your inbox. Just something else to keep in mind….
Once you’re on the internet it is all fair game, and really who isn’t today? Big brother is watching, and if you’re seeking employment or just open to opportunities, you really need to be cognizant that “the carpet matches the drapes”.