Yes, employers are looking at your social media.
About 70% of hiring managers will take a peek before they bring you in, or before they make an offer. The good news? This isn't a gotcha game. Understanding what they're actually looking for gives you the opportunity to control how you appear, and possibly boost your chances at landing the job.
Employers Are Checking — That's Actually a Good Thing
Think about it from the employer's perspective. They understand the hiring process is imperfect, and that they won't really know what it's like to work with you until they've hired you (and vice versa) So, by checking your online presence, they're trying to get to know you beyond your resume. Social media provides a window into how you communicate, what you care about, and whether or not your professional story checks out. It's not intended to be invasive, it's just smart hiring. The key is to make sure that window shows your best self.
Red Flags (and How Easy They Are to Avoid)
Hiring managers aren't looking for perfection. They're looking for problems. Watch out for:
- Negative talk about past employers or colleagues: Venting feels good when shared with people close to you, but it can read as quite unprofessional in the eyes of a hiring manager when it's publicly published.
- Inconsistencies between your resume and your online presence: If you say you led a project, make sure your timeline matches up. You don't want to claim to have done something, when your post history provides evidence to the contrary.
- Careless communication: Chronic typos, poor grammar, offensive and hostile posts (and comments) suggest you might bring those habits to the job.
- Content that suggests poor judgment: You don't need to hide your personality — just think twice before posting.
What Employers Hope to Find
Again, social media screenings aren't designed to see you fail. On the contrary, employers hope you're the one! That would mean the laborious hiring process would be over, and that they will have gained a valuable new colleague. With that in mind, here's what employers love seeing:
- Industry engagement: A thoughtful comment on a relevant post? That's gold.
- Proof of accomplishment: Highlight wins, projects, and skills that matter to your field.
- Genuine personality: People who show up as themselves (professionally) stand out.
- A polished LinkedIn presence: This one matters most. Keep it updated, add a real photo, and let your experience speak.
The Two-Account Strategy: Professional vs Personal
This one's an optional but practical move: maintain a professional primary account that's clearly curated for your career, has a good headshot, current work info, and offers thoughtful posts. Then keep a private secondary accounts for casual posts with friends and family. This isn't about being paranoid, but being intentional with what you put out there.
One heads-up: even on private accounts, your likes and comments are sometimes visible to those who search. So think of "private" as more selective, not completely hidden.
The Bottom Line
Your digital presence is part of your professional story. And it's one you get to write. A little mindfulness goes a long way. There's no need to be boring or fake. Just be thoughtful.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by your job search, career advisors at firms like SEO Executive Search can help you figure out your strategy and show your best side.