Social Media and Job Interviews – A Tenuous Relationship
Social media and job interviews go hand in hand. One wrong move could cost you an interview, or even a job. Make the right moves, and you could get a leg up on the competition.
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, just to name a few. We all participate in social media to some degree. You probably think about your Facebook or Twitter account once a day. But how often do you think about how your social media activity will impact your job search?
If you do’t think about social media and job interviews every time you post something, you could run into trouble. The key is to be strategic; not only in what you post, but where you post it, and under what account.
Having a Private Account Is Not the Solution
Private Accounts Do Not Ensure Privacy
I already know what you are going to say; “My accounts are all private.” That’s great and all, but that’s not the solution.
First off, there are so many ways that you’re protected social media content can be exposed to the rest of the Internet; relying on privacy settings is a misstep. We live in the age where people go online and screenshot and share tweets, Facebook posts and comments, and anything else that you put online.
While making your accounts private and controlling who sees your profile and posts is critical, it is not fail-safe.
At this point I will say that if you have not privatized your personal Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, stop reading this post and do it now!
Do I Want My Social Media Accounts To Be Private?
So here’s the rub. The discussion about social media and job interviews is not just about privatizing your accounts and hiding from the world. You actually want to have an online presence.
Employers will Google you. And if their search turns up nothing, well, that’s not a great sign. Are you not engaged with the world? Or is your engagement with the world so controversial that you need to hide it from potential employers?
Not to mention, having an online presence is one way you will network with people in your industry and learn about internship and job opportunities. It is also where you may find yourself a mentor and develop relationships with colleagues all across the country.
What’s the Solution? You Need Private Personal and Public Professional Social media Accounts
So I am telling you on the one hand to privatize your social media, but I am also saying that you need to have an online presence. How do you do both? You have two separate accounts. One for your personal life and one for your professional life.
Your personal Facebook account should not be public. What is your personal Facebook account? It’s the account you use to post pictures of yourself. It’s the account you make comments about the news article you just read, the documentary you just watched, or just something that grinds your gears.
Employers do not need to get that deep into your personal life before your first interview. They don’t need to know who your friends are, what you like, where you go for vacation, or what you wore on that vacation. You also don’t want them to form any possible misimpression about who you are before they even meet you (or decide to meet you).
The same thing goes for your personal Twitter account. You don’t want employers looking at tweets about an Uber driver who was a jerk to you, or a date that went wrong, an ex that constantly reminds you of why they are your ex, or some other event in your life that friends may find amusing. Leave that stuff for your private personal account.
As for Instagram and Snapchat, I see no reason why anyone should have a public personal Instagram or Snapchat account, unless they are into photography and that’s the purpose of the account. Employers don’t need to see that deep into your personal life. And you don’t want them to!
If you are taking pictures of nature, architecture, animals, food, etc., fine. But let’s keep the friends and family moments between friends and family. Remember, your co-workers can always follow you once you’re hired!
You do want to create public professional social media accounts on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. These accounts will connect you with people in your industry. The relationships you build on these platforms may even lead to an internship or job. At the very least, you are developing positive relationships with other people in your industry and that is never a bad thing.
What Types of Social Media Accounts Should I Have?
You should definitely have a professional Facebook and Twitter account. These accounts will show employers that you are engaged in the professional community and have a strong interest in the field in which you are applying to work.
You must also have a LinkedIn account. This is your online resume. And the best part? It does not have to be one page!
Your LinkedIn page is where you can include all of that interesting stuff that you could not fit on your one-page resume, but really wanted to. trust me, every employer goes to your LinkedIn page at one point in the application process.
Having LinkedIn also allows you to network with people in the industry.
Profile Pictures On Social Media Accounts
Social media and job interviews is not just about written content. When an employer goes to your social media account the first thing they look at is your profile picture. Do not make the mistake of putting up an unprofessional photo.
Yes, it is tempting to put up a meme or a funny photo of yourself to express yourself. Maybe even tell your future employer that you have a sense of humor? Resist the urge.
Your profile pic is where you make your first impression. Don’t mess it up!
Your profile pic for all of your social media accounts that are public should be a head-shot. In the head-shot it should be clear that you are wearing either business or business casual attire. I recommend wearing what you would wear to court.
How Do I Use Social Media For My Career?
There are a lot of ways to use social media to promote your career. Some are obvious, others not so much.
The first thing you want to do is change the names on your personal accounts. So instead of Mark Green, maybe your Facebook name is Mark G. Then, privatize the accounts so that you cannot be found through a search.
The next thing you want to do is set up professional profiles using your full name. Here are some tips for the three main social media platforms I use.
LinkedIn: Connection Messages and Postings
LinkedIn is perhaps the most obvious social media account you want to have for your career. You want to connect with not just people you know, but people from firms, such as public defender offices, where you may want to work.
Try to avoid sending the generic template connection messages. “Jane wants to connect with you.” It’s a missed opportunity in my opinion.
I generally accept any LinkedIn request where the other person works in the criminal defense world or knows a close friend or colleague of mine. But once I accept, that is usually the beginning and end of the relationship.
The one exception to this has been where law students or young attorneys send me a personalized message with the invite. “Hey, this is Marcus. I go to Columbia Law and really want to become a public defender. Would love to connect!” Ok, so Marcus is not just getting an accept click from me; I am going to message them back and will probably end up talking about internships and jobs.
LinkedIn is also a great place to post relevant and interesting articles that pertain to your industry. If you become someone who an employer sees as being a source for interesting material, they may reach out to you when opportunities for internships or jobs arise. At the very least, you may be recognized when you application crosses their desk.
Twitter – Follow, Retweet, Repeat
Twitter is a wonderful medium if used properly.
Set up a professional account with a good head-shot and quick description of who you are. “#3L NUSL. Aspiring Public Defender. etc.” Letting people know who you are will help you gain followers.
Once you set up your professional Twitter account, start looking for people to follow. The best way to do this is to start by searching the hashtags.
#lawtwitter is a big one, but it’s also a wide net to cast. Get specific. For example, #publicdefender and #publicdefendertwitter are obvious hashtags to search if you are looking to connect with public defenders. From there you will find hundreds of great people to follow.
Once you get a solid list of people to follow together, read what they have to say and the articles they post. You could spend 24/7 doing this, so obviously be discerning. But definitely take advantage of having all of this information at your fingertips.
People will naturally follow you, but you should also get into the habit of retweeting information you believe deserves further dissemination. Not only are you further disseminating valuable knowledge to the world, but you will inevitably attract more followers who are like minded.
And please, think before you tweet. It is so easy to fire off an opinion or comment about something. Taking it back is sometimes much more difficult. You want to add value to the conversation and promote dialogue. If your tweet doesn’t do that, don’t send it out.
Some Closing Thoughts On Social Media and Job Interviews
When an employer is looking into your social media accounts, it is for a variety of reasons. They are putting a face to the application. Employers are also looking to see what their interests are and what else you have done beyond what on your resume.
Employers are also looking to see how thoughtful and responsible you are. Do you present yourself in a professional manner online?
Are you firing off inflammatory Tweets, which, notwithstanding the rightness of your position, show a lack of effective communication and negotiation skills? Are you posting things that make the employer question your judgement? Will your internet persona follow you in a negative way in your career? (i.e. will your colleagues Google you and find something that makes them not respect you).
None of this is to say that you should not take brave and bold positions on topics that you are passionate about. This is especially the case when we are talking about criminal justice reform. But just keep in mind that while you are on the hunt for a job, your prospective employer is looking beyond your cover letter and resume.
Professional social media accounts will also help you expand your job search. Followers, connections, or friends may reach out to you when they hear of an internship or job opportunity. They may also offer to mentor you in some capacity. And of course, they are people you can reach out to yourself for advice.
In closing, if you don’t want to manage separate accounts, please take the time to go through your existing accounts. Is there anything that a potential employer may find off-putting? If so, take it down. At least until you get hired…
