Does maintaining a social networking page help me gain employment 2

[asixth]

I have heard of employers who will perform searches on social networking pages to try and gain some in-sight on prospective employees.

PRO's

A well constructed and maintained social networking page gives the impression that the prospective employee has good people skills which is a very important attribute which employers look for.

CON's

Damaging or mis-leading personal information can be leaked which may make a potential employer less likely to hire the prospective employee.

QUESTION

Do employers regularly screen social networking sites before interviewing potential employees and should one be maintained with accurate personal information (name and location) to try and help gain future employment.

 

[ivymike]

well, the news people would have you believe that they do. I can't recall having seen a single instance of it at my office.

 

[msquared48]

When it comes to employment:

1. Don't burn your bridges;
2. Use your network(s), whatever they are.
3. Never lie. Maintain your personal and professional integrity at all times.
4. In spite of what others tell you to do, just be yourself. If you do otherwise, eventually the truth will come out and you will have to deal with it.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[SNORGY]

Msquared48:

With respect to your points made, in my case:

(1) oops...
(2) hopefully my networks are waterproof...see #1...
(3) my integrity is intact, but I navigate by boat whenever I need to cross bodies of water...see #2 and #1...
(4) that's my life-preserver, so to speak...

Star for you...perfect post that nails it and hits close to home.

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[asixth]

"never lie"...that's a problem, sometimes honesty can be detrimental to your career. Some companies just want "yes men/women".

 

[msquared48]

Then it's not a company I would want to work for.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[corus]

I never give my real name out on the internet and try not to give out my email address. However, I have it on one site, LinkedIn, and of course am inundated with junk mail. As far as I'm aware, my employer has never took the slightest interest in it, and I've had no job offers from other employers. A total waste of time and effort.

corus

 

[Ron]

I believe social networks to be a double edged sword. I'm not so sure they can help you, but they can certainly hurt you.

In that environment, you usually divulge more about yourself than any employer needs to know. Even a seemingly innocent well wisher can give you job problems...example: "Glad to see you're up and around after that little back problem last week" or "With 4 kids, how do you have time to go fishing?"...red flags to potential employer.

Follow Mike's advice...it's good.

 

[SomptingGuy]

... have the scabs healed yet?

- Steve

 

[SomptingGuy]

I have a linkedin page, upon which I'm quite open (name, age, serial number, etc). I'm always amused as to who passes by and checks me out. They tease with clues.

- Steve

 

[ScottyUK]

Totally agree with Mike, any place that you can't be honest isn't somewhere I'd want to work either.


Corus,

Hope things down in your corner of the British steel industry are faring a bit better than up here. It's gonna be a tough Christmas for the boys and girls at Lackenby and Redcar.


----------------------------------

If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[TheTick]

If you're going to use social nitworking on a professional basis, get set up in a more professional networking environment like LinkedIn. At least then you can start making connections.

 

[ivymike]

yeah, linkedin seems to work alright. I figured you'd meant facebook. I've gotten a few interview requests through linkedin.

 

[PeterStock]

If you find any former coworkes in linkedin, be sure to give them recomendations (as well as ask for some), this may make your profile look a bit better.

Peter Stockhausen
Senior Design Analyst (Checker)
Infotech Aerospace Services

http://www.infotechpr.net

 

[brandoncdg]

Is there anything industry related similar to twitter or to find other engineers in Twitter or Facebook? Is LinkedIn the best for engineering related networking?

CDG, Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading in the Los Angeles area

http://www.CivilDevelopmentGroup.com

 

[GregLocock]

Peter inadvertently made a point I was going to make - recommendations on Linked In look like mutual back scratching to me. I was going to use a different phrase, but hey I'm in a good mood.


Cheers

Greg Locock

I rarely exceed 1.79 x 10^12 furlongs per fortnight

 

[Ron]

Greg,
To use the British/Oz terminology, has something to do with smooching the arse?

Cheers and Merry Christmas.

Ron

 

[ivymike]

I've observed the same thing - and no, it's not smooching, it's more like "I'll make up some glowing flim-flam about you if you'll do the same for me." Nowadays you can even draft your own glowing recommendation, then forward it to a friend so he can publish it.

 

[asixth]

I have never tried linkedin, mostly because most of the guys my age are facebookin' and linkedin appears from the outside to be a very corporate environment. Engineers Australia has a facebook page which I have never participated in but it doesn't seem that that page in heading in the right direction (in terms of professional involvement).

Personally, I try to keep my identity as secret as possible because I have no doubt that public postings will work against me one day.

 

[ivymike]

well duh, the point of it is to be a corp. environment.