Back to Blogs When Looking for a Job, Social Media Do's & Don'ts Include Grammar Edits and Blunders

Social Media Do’s & Don’ts – Grammar Edits and Blunders

June 28, 2016 | Career Blog

Call them the grammar police or punctuation enthusiasts; more hiring managers now peruse applicants’ social media profiles with an eye not just on objectionable photos or posts but also on grammar usage. Today’s installment of social media do’s & don’ts when looking for a job focuses on the importance of presenting yourself as a good speller who knows the basic grammar rules.

Poor Grammar Makes You a Poor Candidate

The Harvard Business Review discussed this topic against the backdrop of hiring decisions that managers make. One admitted frankly that grammar mistakes disqualify an otherwise ideal candidate from being hired. While making allowances for English learners and those with dyslexia, this professional drew the line at employing anyone who treated grammar in a cavalier manner.

What Your Social Media Posts Say about You

For this reason, a list of social media do’s & don’ts when looking for a job must include a proper way of expressing yourself.

  • Avoid slang. An occasional slang term emphasizes your position on a subject. A consistent use of slang versus standard English may cause a hiring manager to think twice before offering you a job.
  • Watch commas and spelling. To err is human. To go back and correct any mistakes you have made in a post shows good judgment.
  • Word choice matters, too. Select words with care. Potentially offensive language can become an obstacle to being hired at a company that embraces diversity.

Although Facebook and Twitter thrive on write-as-you-speak postings, at least your LinkedIn profile should be different. Ideally, all three of these social media platforms should portray you as a job candidate with a good grip on English spelling and grammar.

Behind the Poor Grammar

To the hiring manager, the way you choose to express yourself can result in embarrassing work emails. Avoiding this mistake is easy; the professional hires someone whose social media account identifies a careful communicator. After all, a candidate who cares about the way s/he expresses opinions and facts is also likely to be a detail-oriented employee when it comes to any other task. Contact us today to learn more about the social media do’s & don’ts when looking for a job.