“The most difficult job you’ll ever have is finding your next job.”
Job hunting is seldom easy. It can often seem like one is mostly trying to be in the right place at the right time for an unlikely encounter with the perfect employer. This isn’t too far from reality. Proper networking is an integral part of one’s professional life, but like any form of social interaction, you also have to present yourself appropriately for the situation. And this is a huge stumbling block for anyone using social media.
The Biggest Issue for Professionals Using Social Sites
The most significant issue with social media comes down to how we present ourselves — professionally and socially. Everyone has various personas that they adopt in different social settings, and for the most part, that is ok. It is expected that the persona you choose for a party will be different than how you show up Monday morning for work, but no one wants visual proof of it.
There are just moments in life you wouldn’t want to share with a potential employer.
The problem with social media is that this social filter doesn’t exist. Online presence shows a broad view of one’s entire life. It shows the moments when you are just relaxing with friends. It shows someone frustrated after a rough day at work or venting about politics. It shows everyone at their best and worst, i.e., your most and least formal. It can be a huge problem when it comes to the hiring process because all of those moments are usually on display in a social account. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make, right alongside issues with their resume online when applying for a job.
Unless You Don’t Use Social Media, Part of Your Life is Online
It’s important to consider this in as much detail as possible. As such, consider the case of someone applying for a job as a neonatal nurse practitioner. Your degree will have a specific academic background and skill set, but this alone isn’t what will get you the job.
After an employer has looked over a resume, they will typically save it for later review. At this point, the potential NNP is in direct competition with everyone else who made that cut. Now, the smallest detail has immediate importance.
When candidates are similar, it will often naturally come down to small things, which make them seem a little better or worse than the competition. And in this case, it’s oftentimes your online presence. A full 94% of nurses, like you, once were yourself, self-report as users of socially based online media. Likewise, an estimated 70% of employers, states Business News Daily, look into these accounts when considering applicants. With statistics like these, it means that employers will look online to get a better opinion of candidates. It also means that it’s essential to edit your online presence if you want to get a jump on the competition.
1. Remove anything offensive or severely unprofessional
Your online presence doesn’t need to be pristine, but a good rule of thumb is whether or not you’d be comfortable with your boss knowing about it. If your posts are NSFW, now would be the time to do a little editing. It’s also essential to keep the aspect of “health care” in mind. For example, smoking cigarettes or marijuana will usually be looked down on more severely in the healthcare settings than with other industry positions. This step involves removing anything which might make you look bad. It’s not the end of things, though. It’s just eliminating potential disqualifiers for the time being.
2. Focus on the positive
It would be best if you tried to enhance your positive traits. This can be done by showing work-related experiences. However, in the context of healthcare, this can be a little more difficult due to confidentiality issues. The goal is for you to portray essential things or volunteer efforts related to healthcare. This shows that you don’t just care about healthcare on the job, but in every other aspect of life too.
3. Share learning experiences for others
Online posts can be very informative. You can share healthcare related AMAs or follow current trends on new research. Twitter and Instagram can be used to help teach others and spread awareness during periods where people are concerned about illnesses. By doing this, you can highlight your expertise in medical issues.
Remember: people tend to get jobs based on action. As such, now is the time to jump into action and get your online representation in order. What have you done in the past to clean up your social media accounts?
