Small business PR and marketing

I was speaking to a friend the other day and she mentioned that she is going to start looking for a new job. Sending off a CV and giving a few reference contacts isn’t all that happens now. Recruiters are starting to look online for character references. I know she has heaps of photos on her Facebook page that she would not like a prospective employer to see.

Sites such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn provide transparent character references for candidates. Many prospective employees aren’t aware that their profiles will be checked prior to the interview.

Candidates with social networking profiles tend to be transparent about their lifestyle and general character, offering a public insight into their private lives, and an indication of their true character.

A survey by CareerBuilder.com indicated that 26 per cent of US hiring managers use social networking sites to perform background checks on job candidates. A further 12 per cent of those surveyed said that they used social networking sites as a screening tool.

LinkedIn tends to be more about professional achievements, but I would suggest you ensure your MySpace and Facebook are private pages or only have photos that you want the world to see.