The best thing you could do for your job search could be to delete some of your social media accounts.
“What?” you ask, “Delete a social media account?”
Yes, you read that correctly. Other articles may be telling you to create social media accounts to boost your job search, but ask yourself this:
• Did you create a blog, but haven’t published a post in a year or two?
• Does your Twitter account have a single-digit number of followers and tweets?
If you found yourself nodding yes to either of these questions then yes, it’s time to weed your garden and delete some of your social media accounts.
In today’s job market, the majority of employers will review your online presence during the interview process. Cast-off accounts will make it look like you’re not committed. For instance, you may have created a Twitter account because you were told it’d be a good idea, but it’s not enough just to set up the account. The key to social media success is to be actively engaged. It’s much better to have two platforms you’re actively involved with than five with out-of-date content streams.
Can’t bring yourself to permanently delete an account or blog? You have a couple of options:
• Temporarily deactivate it while you’re searching for a new job.
• Use this as an opportunity to throw yourself back into things if you think your dormant blog or social media account could offer value. Just remember to commit to consistent updates.
• Create new social content (such as a Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, or a blog) in an attempt to push down the old information in search results. This may be your best bet if for any reason you’re unable to delete an out-of-date account.
Our on- and off-line lives have never before been so blended into one. Gone are the days of “just” posting a comment or picture online. Google yourself before a potential employer does and clean up what you find in order to limit any job search complications.
