Why Your Online Reputation Could Make or Break Your Job Search

Gone are the days when a great resume and a firm handshake were enough to secure a job offer. Today’s employers also look at your online presence before deciding whether to hire you.

A person using a surface laptop to monitor online reputation.

One study found that 58 percent of employers conduct social screenings to look for information supporting your qualifications for a job. Makes sense. However, 50 percent also check to make sure you have a professional online persona, and 34 percent are curious about what other people are saying about you online.

Yikes! You didn’t explicitly give them permission to scroll through your social media. But to be fair, it is out there for anyone to see—yes, even potential employers. That means they could discover posts from long ago that were never meant for the workplace: bar photos you were tagged in from your buddy’s wild bachelor party, a post badmouthing a former employer, honeymoon pics of you in a bikini, or even questionable posts you’ve liked or shared.

How do you put your best foot forward when you’re looking for a job? It all begins with a quick online search for your name. Now it’s time to evaluate what you see and take action:

Hide the evidence. If your screen name is inappropriate, change that right away. Then scrub for unflattering content, whether you posted it yourself or it came from someone else. Scroll way back through your social media posts and either remove or change the privacy settings on posts you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see. Be sure to search for your name and untag yourself in “iffy” posts made by other people, too, and don’t be afraid to reach out to old friends if you need them to untag you or remove something that casts you in an unprofessional light.

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Curate your professional image. Create and share content that’s of professional interest, whether that’s through a blog, a personal website, a career site, or social media. Use social media templates to create well-designed posts that play up the parts of you that any employer would be happy to see. Not only will you reinforce your skills—you’ll strengthen your network and show that you’re a leader who contributes to your industry.

But show them your personal side, too. Everyone involved in the hiring process is a real human being, after all. It’s reassuring to potential employers to see that you have interests and hobbies that contribute to your overall well-being. Plus, you may discover shared interests that can help you quickly build rapport and lead to better conversations. Maybe you both love running or have adorable labradoodles. Potential employers feel like they know you better when they have a glimpse into the things that bring you joy.

“It’s reassuring to potential employers to see that you have interests and hobbies that contribute to your overall well-being.”

TIP: If you’re a parent, this is a great time to have that talk with your kids about social media and developing healthy digital habits.

Now that you’re more aware of the future impacts, think twice before you post anything online. Ask yourself whether you’d feel proud or embarrassed for a future employer to see it, and then post accordingly. Online reputation management isn’t just for damage control. Used correctly, it will bring out the best of you, so potential employers can see all the ways that you truly shine.