With technology growing the use of social media grows as well, many people today are associated with some sort of social media such are Face Book and Google+. Social media profiles can either make or break your chances of getting a job, any public profiles can be viewed by everyone including employers. Job seekers need to take caution in what they post online because it will “brand” them according to Ronda Scharlat in the article “Employers scour Web for details on applicants”.
Employers sometimes look online to check social media profiles for any inappropriate behaviors. So it will be wise to think twice before posting anything that may give you a negative view this can be pictures or comments of any sort. So be sure to erase any inappropriate activities online that may hurt your view on an employer. Social media profiles are easily accessible to employers, all it takes is a simple google search of the person’s name and anything set to public will be shown. This doesn’t imply that employers only base their recruits on only social media but often use them as a background check.
Social media can be used against any job seeker but why not use it to help them instead. In the article “Colleges Pay to Protect Students from Toxic Google Results” it shows that having an online profile can actually benefit job seekers. Posting comments and such in a professional manner can show how competent you can be to employers. A profile can reflect who the person really is, it can also show how responsible you are and the type of language being used also affects how employers will react. There are online services that can either erase or show your google result when your name is searched, Brandyourself.com is an example that provides these services its and as both a free service and a premium service.
Social media and social networking are used heavily in the present, and as the years go by more recruiters are using them. In the article “Guide to Social Media & Job Search” shows there are multiple things recruiters look for specifically in their searches and how much social media is being used by recruits over the past years.  Some things recruits look for in profiles are how people spend their free time, use of alcohol and illegal substances, work and education history, and how well you are able to communicate with others.
As for myself I avoided unnecessary use of social media for the very fact that it’s used by employers so I wouldn’t have a particular “brand”, but using them in a professional manner can still benefit you in job searches. Personally I do not think its ethical for employers to “google” their job candidates but it is technically still in fair use due to the fact that users must accept the terms that states that the profile will be public so everyone can view it. Social media holds great power over what your job selection so use it wisely to not show a particular “brand” but how professional you can really be.
