Do Recruiters Really Stalk Your Facebook Page?

If having your Facebook profile checked by recruiters bugs you, well, I got some news for you. During my time as a recruiter, I can tell you that most recruiters are searching for their candidates before the interview. And it’s not because they were trying to find dirt on them. Most of the time, they simply were looking to put a face on the name.

With that said, recruiters generally don’t just stop at the Facebook profile. They’ll most likely look at everything that comes up when they do a simple Google Search of your name. So you want to ensure what they see shows you in the best light possible. It’s difficult to control everything on the internet, but here are three things that you can do to ensure that your social media profiles are squeaky clean when recruiters come around checking.

Do a Google Search on Yourself

The first thing you want to do is a Google Search on yourself. See what pops up, and take note of things that you would like to remove from the internet. This includes embarrassing photos from your college days, or random Facebook posts that you shared that may not fly today.

Do your best to track those photos down and have them removed. Because if you saw them, so will the recruiter. If it’s on our own profile, it’s easy to go and delete or hide them. If you were tagged in these posts, you may need to access your settings and disable a few features.

Go Private

To play it 100% safe, the best method is to take all your social media profiles and go private. This will eliminate any chance of a recruiter snooping around somewhere you don’t want them to go. 

And while you are at it, it may be a good idea to delete some accounts entirely. When was the last time you logged into your old Myspace or Friendster account? If you can’t remember, it is probably a good idea to go in there one last time and just hit “delete.” One less thing you have to worry about!

Start Creating Content For Your Personal Brand

Sometimes, the best way to craft your narrative is for you to take the lead and get on the offensive! And this can be you creating content for your own personal brand. The easiest way to get started would be for you to choose one social media platform and dedicate a few hours to creating content on it.

If you’re looking to go the professional route, I would recommend turning on “Creator Mode” and creating posts on LinkedIn. A bonus point is that LinkedIn’s SEO normally ranks on the first page of Google, so this will be one of the first things recruiters see. I know it can be intimidating to get started, but it doesn’t have to be super intricate at the beginning. You can use some of the sample prompts below to get the ball rolling:

• What’s one piece of advice you would tell your 20-year-old self?
• How has your industry changed over the last few years?
• When was the last time you learned something new, and what did you learn?
• Who inspired you to pursue your current career?
• What was the biggest risk you took in your career?

Another method that can help your personal brand is starting a website and blog under your name. You can claim your domain through GoDaddy or Google Domains, and build a free website using Wix or Squarespace. As for the content, I recommend you write articles that showcase your expertise in your niche. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes and add value by providing actionable tips that can help them achieve their goals. 

While you don’t have to create content to land a new job, it can help you stand out in a competitive market and be the x-factor you need to get hired. Everything else, though can remain private for your friends and family only. Good luck!