Importance of social media in securing a job

TBagpuss

Mickey666 said:

TBagpuss said:

However, I thin k it is relatively unusual and it may cause some employers to wonder whether you are generally less computer literate than other candidates? 

I take your point, but think it would be a big jump to such a conclusion. 
Depends what is meant by 'computer literacy' I guess, though I personally wouldn't say that simply being able to use FB and Twitter is a sign of true computer literacy.  Indeed, true computer literacy, ie a detailed understand of how computer and IT systems actually work, could be a very good reason for NOT using social media.

Oh, I agree. I don't think that it shows anything of the kind, but I do think that it might be a something which some employers / interviewers (especially those whose own understanding of tech is limited)  might think. 

Marvel1

Non friend looks at my Facebook, thrybwonr see anything, only my profile picture.  Why? Because I have all my settings restricted.

Gavin83

I don’t have much of a social media presence either and I work in a technical IT role. As far as I’m aware it’s never cost me a job.

My wife used to work in HR and they’d google people. They once had someone apply for a role who appeared on Big Brother and they were known for doing something inappropriate on the show. Needless to say they didn’t get an interview.

I also share my full name with someone who’s semi famous for doing something on TV. Understandably if you google my name he appears rather than me so I often wonder what employers would make of that. Thankfully he did something positive and something which displays a high level of intelligence so I don’t think it’s necessarily a negative thing. I would certainly hate to share my name with someone famous for doing something bad. Imagine trying to get a job if your name is something like Ian Huntley!

The guy above and myself also have very similar email addresses. I typically receive emails meant for him every other month.

I also work with someone who shares their name with a very famous individual (as in Worldwide fame) which often raises a few laughs.

NaughtiusMaximus

Gavin83 said:

I also share my full name with someone who’s semi famous for doing something on TV. Understandably if you google my name he appears rather than me so I often wonder what employers would make of that. Thankfully he did something positive and something which displays a high level of intelligence so I don’t think it’s necessarily a negative thing. I would certainly hate to share my name with someone famous for doing something bad. Imagine trying to get a job if your name is something like Ian Huntley!

A few of us were talking about what happens when you google your own name at work a couple of years ago. One of the women asked us to google her name plus the town she lives in, the first few hits were all related to a woman of the same name who had been prosecuted for benefit fraud. She told us was always a little worried potential employers might google her and reach the wrong conclusion.

AJRBADGER

Thank you for the comments.

The role I do, without being too specific, is designing plant, advising on what needs to be done to comply with relevant regs, and writing working practices for clients.

I specialise in doing this for high hazard working (a specific type of high hazard working), or for the protection of critical plant - for protection of people, plant and the environment.

Whilst these have been consultancy roles, where I'd be expected to engage with several clients. I wouldn't say my role is social media critical.

Undervalued

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Gavin83 said:

I also share my full name with someone who’s semi famous for doing something on TV. Understandably if you google my name he appears rather than me so I often wonder what employers would make of that. Thankfully he did something positive and something which displays a high level of intelligence so I don’t think it’s necessarily a negative thing. I would certainly hate to share my name with someone famous for doing something bad. Imagine trying to get a job if your name is something like Ian Huntley!

A few of us were talking about what happens when you google your own name at work a couple of years ago. One of the women asked us to google her name plus the town she lives in, the first few hits were all related to a woman of the same name who had been prosecuted for benefit fraud. She told us was always a little worried potential employers might google her and reach the wrong conclusion.

That is a real danger and sadly there is very little you can do about it.

I once worked with a lady who shared the same name as a adult "actress" in a, shall we say, specialised area! Fortunately they didn't look remotely alike. Putting the town in the search didn't help much as my colleague had very little that was findable on Google whereas her namesake had many pages.

TBagpuss

NaughtiusMaximus said:

Gavin83 said:

I also share my full name with someone who’s semi famous for doing something on TV. Understandably if you google my name he appears rather than me so I often wonder what employers would make of that. Thankfully he did something positive and something which displays a high level of intelligence so I don’t think it’s necessarily a negative thing. I would certainly hate to share my name with someone famous for doing something bad. Imagine trying to get a job if your name is something like Ian Huntley!

A few of us were talking about what happens when you google your own name at work a couple of years ago. One of the women asked us to google her name plus the town she lives in, the first few hits were all related to a woman of the same name who had been prosecuted for benefit fraud. She told us was always a little worried potential employers might google her and reach the wrong conclusion.

I think that this depends a bit on how unusual your name is.
If you are John Smith then it's not a major issue, if your name is Jerimiah Ffoulkes-Smythe-Cholmondley-Warner then if the unfortunate hits really aren't you, then it may be worth adding a note to any applications (and possibly to try to have a bit more of an online presence yourself, to make it easier for people to distinguish you