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Creating, Maintaining and Presenting Your Brand: Social Media Do’s & Don’ts When Looking for a Job

June 7, 2016 | Career Blog

Talking to Black Enterprise, Boss Network founder Cameka Smith addresses entrepreneurs when she encourages them to use social media as a branding tool that may propel them to the next level in a venture. This same wisdom applies to job applicants. You do not have to manufacture or sell widgets to observe social media do’s & don’ts when looking for a job.

Do Create a Brand that Encompasses Goals and Highlights Strengths

Whether you look for an entry-level administrative assistant position or an advanced skilled trade job, you can turn your social media presence into a branding tool that enhances your resume presentation.

  • Join groups germane to your trade. Whether you “like” them on Facebook or “join” them on LinkedIn, find important groups associated with your profession. Become moderately active in them.
  • Use impeccable grammar and spelling. Remember, you are creating, maintaining or presenting a brand. Would you trust an attorney whose Facebook profile is riddled with spelling errors, grammatical problems, and poor word choice? If not, why should the attorney hire an administrative assistant whose profile looks like that?
  • Post “friendly” updates. Writing something like, “I had a great job interview today and treated myself to lunch at XYZ Bistro” with an image of your food is considered friendly.

The Underbelly of Social Media Do’s & Don’ts When Looking for a Job

On the flip side are the things you should not post to social media when seeking work.

  • Unprofessional and unflattering photos. Footage showing how much you drank at the nightclub, your win at beer pong or your bikini/shirtless image are brand killers. Do not post them to your profile.
  • Controversial posts. Avoid political posts. While you may privately agree with the sentiments, you should not share the meme or even like it. The rule applies to any political leaning.
  • Bad humor. Your brand of humor may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Posting jokes or memes that display offensive humor, get uncomfortably close to bigotry or are otherwise in bad taste may deter you from being hired.

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