Recruiters (Internal & External) will check your social media accounts to get the full picture before considering you for a job.
Almost all of us use social media of one form or another, and for the Millennial generation it has become second nature. Posting comments, pictures, status updates or videos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat takes seconds.
However, while you might not think much about what you’ve posted in the past, it could come back to haunt you in the future, especially if you’re applying for a job in the mining industry. It’s a fact that recruiters will check your social media accounts to get the ‘full picture’ before considering you for a job.
The mining industry in Australia has stringent requirements on those who work in it. Your social media reflects you as a person, so if recruiters don’t like what they see, you might not get a look-in, no matter what your experience or qualifications are. So, here’s what you should do.
Google yourself
It sounds simple, but do you really know what’s about you on the internet? Search yourself and see what comes up — you may be surprised. Take the time to look at each page and gauge what potential employers and recruiters will see. (You might not be able to do much about some of the search results, but you can at least prepare to explain them in an interview situation.)
Fix your privacy settings
There are varying levels of privacy settings on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat that allow you to decide who sees your posts and information. The tighter the settings, the more restricted the view. It’s amazing how many people think their privacy settings are set to maximum, when in reality, everything they post is pretty much public.
Check your privacy settings and decide whom you want to have access to what.
Clean it up
Have a look through your posts and comments on social and consider them from an employer’s point of view. You can delete and untag yourself from posts or pictures that you think might be detrimental to your chances or show you in a very poor light. This doesn’t guarantee they are gone forever though. In some cases, something you’ve written will have travelled far and wide across the internet and it simply can’t be removed.
If you find something on a third-party site that you wish wasn’t there, try contacting the site owner or editor and see if they’ll remove it. Make it clear that you made an error, and it could impact your ability to find a job.
Think before you post
Going forward, always think before you post. You can’t always predict who will see it and what their reaction will be. Employers quite rightly take a dim view of sexist, racist and offensive posts, comments and images, whether it’s on your own social media or on a web page or news website. They’ll also take into account anything that suggests an unhealthy relationship with alcohol or any indications of drug use (bearing in mind mine sites have a zero policy towards drugs).
Your social media and online activity is an extension of yourself, so act like you would in person when you’re online. It’s not only good practice, but your future career might depend on it.
If you’re confident there’s nothing troubling on your social media and you’d like a job in the mining industry in Australia, get in touch with Mining People International.