Facebook and Twitter Could Cost You a Job

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 28, 2012 -- What information is available about you online? If you were applying for a job, could you be disqualified due to the content on your Facebook, Twitter or YouTube accounts. Believe it or not, it happens everyday. Recruiters routinely research a candidate's online presence. It appears that resumes are quickly being replaced by online profiles.

Many job seekers maintain numerous online profiles. Whether the candidate submitted a resume directly to an employer or the employer located the candidate's profile online, employers are continuing their research through the use of online information about the candidate.


In a 2009 CareerBuilder survey, it was reported that 45% of employers screen candidates via their Facebook and Twitter profiles. Additionally, 35% of employers disregarded a candidate based on information found on their Facebook page. A mere 18% of employers reported that they hired a candidate based on they way they presented themselves via their online presence.

The trend shows no signs of waning. Conversely, online profiles may replace resumes in the near future, altogether. Hiring managers and recuiters routinely use internet search engines to search for profiles you have on job boards, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube, as well as other social media websites. They look into groups you may be subscribed to on LinkedIn. If you list membership in certain groups or societies, they will search those sites for your blog posts and comments. Employers use online searches to verify the information you provided in your resume and to determine what type of person you are outside of the workplace.


An employer may be impressed with the fact that you maintained a 4.0 GPA in college but may disqualify you based on the photo of you on MySpace at a drunken party with pals. It is critical in today's job market to be aware of what information about you is online. Also, it is important to maximize that information and use it to effectively market yourself to potential employers.


At Rick Raymond Investigations, we offer two services to assist you with these situations:

A Self Background Check allows you to see what information a potential employer might find about you when they research your background. Many times, something a simple as an unpaid traffic ticket can disqualify a candidate because it sends a message to an employer that you are irresponsible or immature. What information is out there about you? Does the arrest for public intoxication during spring break show up? Did you have an arrest sealed or expunged? Was it really erased? What about evictions, bankruptcies and lawsuits? A Self Background Check can assist in helping you find out what negative information is out there and allow you to potentially repair it before you apply for that important position. Additionally, a self background check can assist you in obtaining information as simple as a lifetime address history with dates, which is required for most government jobs.


A Social Media Check can be conducted to determine what information is publicly available about you on all major social networking sites. Are your privacy settings accurate? Have you been tagged in someone elses photo from a bachelor party? Has an ex placed your information on a "do not date this person" website?

As professional private investigators, we routinely use these searches to locate individuals and gain information on subjects we are investigating. Why not put our expertise to work for you? These services are more affordable than you might realize. In today's job market, you cannot afford to "not know" what information is out there about you.

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