Is Your Digital Footprint Putting Employers Off?

You’ve probably heard people say “What goes on the internet, stays on the internet” but have you taken any notice of it? If you haven’t then you should do, because that silly picture you’ve put on Twitter could turn around and bite you on the bum when it’s time for you to start looking for a job.

Celebrities, actors and pop-stars spend a fortune on making sure that their personal brands are glowing, they’re always monitoring their digital footprint, they know anything negative could affect future jobs or contracts, you have to think like them. You too do not want to miss out on great job opportunities because your digital footprint is muddy and your personal brand is tarnished. You have to be aware that many people are reading your comments, looking at your pictures and watching your videos, some of those people could be employers and recruiters. Everything you do on the internet leaves a breadcrumb trail which others can follow; this is called your digital footprint. If you’re a person who doesn’t care what others find out about you then also be prepared not to care when you get overlooked for a job role. Usually, you’ll just get Googled, as long as everything looks good on page one and two, it’s a thumbs up. Sometimes the searches go a lot deeper, and all your online activity gets thoroughly checked. A digital footprint search could consist of, checking: Pictures Pictures of you constantly partying, looking worse for wear and, let’s say not showing you in the best light are going to make it easy for you to be judged. The saying “never judge a book by its cover” won’t work, employers and recruiters will think twice about inviting you to an interview. The same applies for too many selfies; you may be perceived as a narcissist. Comments If an employer or a recruiter starts digging deep into your digital footprint and finds bad, rude or negative comments then don’t expect to get an interview. In some cases, bad comments have been discovered after the candidate has been offered the job and the offer has been retracted. Groups Be aware of what groups you’ve joined and what groups you’ve been added to. If an employer finds out that you belong to a group that goes completely against their company ethics, then you won’t be working there ever. Videos Doing a Youtube challenge may seem a good idea at the time, but think about the consequences. Your friends will share the video, their friends will probably share it, you’ll achieve some tribal respect, but you’ll also receive some undesired comments. Employers and recruiters will also watch your video, and they’ll most likely decide that you’re not responsible enough to work for their company. Reviews Are you a type of person who only gives bad reviews but never good reviews? If so, then stop because it doesn’t look good, it comes across as very negative. Constant negative reviews can also raise the question of whether there are any psychological reasons behind this pastime. If you haven’t been getting asked along to any interviews lately, then I suggest you go and Google yourself, it could be due to your digital footprint.