As a career services manager at a private university in Subang Jaya, Selangor, it’s Santhana Rajmohan’s job to look out for students who are about to enter the workforce.
To help them secure employment after graduation, she starts by encouraging them to build a credible online presence.
“It’s no secret now that more employers and hiring managers are looking at the social media activities of candidates and this could make or break their chances of getting a job,” she said.
Santhana, who works at Monash University, felt that it’s important to treat a social media profile as a second resume.
“They should use social media to showcase their potential to future employers,” she said.
Dr Rajwani Mohd Zain, director of student support and services at University Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Kedah, agreed, saying that candidates should also be prepared to answer questions about their social media posts.
In one interview, she said, a candidate described himself as a positive person. But he was left in an awkward position when the interviewer questioned about his posts which were often about feeling sad. She said a person’s social media activity is often used as a yardstick for maturity level and emotional intelligence. Those who are prone to lashing out on social media, for instance, may not be viewed in a positive light by a potential employer.
“I feel more people, especially youngsters who are active on social media should be aware of this.
“It may be your personal space but there are limits to what you should share or say and crossing the line may cost you a job in the future,” she said.
At your fingertips
Tom Osborne, the managing director at recruitment and human resources services firm Hays in Malaysia, said it’s undeniable that social media has become an essential tool for job hunters.
“Social media is integral to job searching in the digital age, from using it to expand your network and building your personal brand to following a company to gain an insight into its culture.
“However, if you’re not careful, social media can also hinder your chances of securing an ideal job,” Osborne said.
He added that employers in Malaysia would typically review a candidate’s profile after the first round of interviews, if not before.
“In our experience, all employers research you online to determine your personal brand and gain a well-rounded picture of you.
“Most job seekers are sensible enough not to talk negatively about their current employer, colleagues or customers on social media.
“But there are many other less obvious ways in which job seekers are using social media that could have disastrous consequences on their job search,” he said.
However, there may be a limit to what a company can check on a candidate’s social media profile as part of the screening process, said Deepa George, managing consultant at MY HRC Services.
“Multinational corporations are very much conscious about privacy and they may frown upon using social media as part of the selection process,” she said, as they have to adhere to global guidelines when hiring.
It’s also because companies want to avoid being “unconsciously biased”, she added.
“One of the biggest problems with social media screening is making false judgements based on one’s own bias.
“For example, a hiring manager who is an introvert may not approve of a person whose social media profile is filled with pictures of the person socialising at parties.
“They could assume that the candidate is a party animal who may not be serious at work which is a biased and unfair assumption to make,” said George.
Companies should make a full disclosure about the social media screening process by stating in job ads that they will conduct a search on platforms where information is publicly available, she added.
“Interviewees will then be aware that the company may be using social media as part of the hiring process. And the company can’t surprise the candidate by saying ‘We have this information about you from social media...’,” she said.
In Asia, however, George felt that there isn’t enough regulation specifying what is allowed when using social media screening as a background check.
Which is why it’s important that candidates are aware that posts shared on a public domain, including social media, can be picked up by anyone and, unfortunately, used against them, she added.
While LinkedIn is considered “fair game” because it’s a career-focused platform, George said employers also check Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to gauge how candidates portray themselves online.
Potential pitfalls
One of the things employers pay attention to on social media is how a person handles issues, according to Osborne.
He recounted a story about a candidate whose job offer as a marketing director was retracted after the person made a post about receiving bad service from another company.
“The candidate used profanity and posted screenshots of the conversation online.
“This raised legal and privacy issues, not to mention calling into question the candidate’s approach to conflict and communication,” he said.
For some companies, political statements could be seen as a red flag. George shared that whenever possible, people should avoid making polarising statements on religion, race or other sensitive topics publicly.
“You must be able to show that you respect local nuances,” she said.
In 2018, a racially insensitive comment made by a Malaysian woman on social media was screen captured and shared online, resulting in widespread backlash.
According to an online report, her employment was terminated as her actions breached the company’s policy.
While it’s encouraged to build a social media presence, overdoing it is a no-no. Be mindful of when you are posting, as employers could question your commitment to work.
“If employers notice that a candidate is often making personal updates during what is perceived to be working hours, then it would make them wonder ‘How focused is this person at work?’,” George said.
Osborne echoed the same sentiment, saying that the hiring manager is most likely aware of a candidate’s current employment circumstances.
“It doesn’t look very good when they do a social media search and see that you’re regularly posting during work. It raises questions about your productivity level,” he said.
It’s also crucial for candidates to ensure that the information on their curriculum vitae (CV) matches their online profile, he added.
Osborne explained that candidates could be removed from a shortlist due to discrepancies between information on their social media account and CV, especially if it has to do with employment dates.
“Even if the discrepancy is due to a genuine mistake rather than an attempt to cover up something, it could indicate that your attention to detail is poor and you are prone to making errors.
“If you are still allowed to continue with the interview, you’ll be asked thoroughly about the discrepancies,” he said.
Your public image
A good social media profile starts with a good photo.
“The ideal profile photo for LinkedIn should be 60% your face and 40% a distraction-free background. Such images actually get more views according to studies,” Osborne claimed.
Santhana added that some institutes of higher learning even organise photo shoots for students to take professional-looking portraits.
It’s also important to highlight your achievements and relevant industry experience.
“Information such as internship experience, voluntary or advocacy work would help you stand out from other candidates in the job market,” Santhana said.
George also encouraged candidates to include photos to showcase their achievements.
“For example, a candidate who talked about doing philanthropic work had pictures of himself delivering food to the underprivileged on his social media account.
“Don’t say you’re into certain things but can’t really explain or prove through your postings on your social media,” she said.
Though UUM’s Rajwani encouraged students to share their achievements or interesting experiences on social media, she said they could become a target.
“They may be accused of showing off and end up being cyberbullied by trolls. I’m genuinely concerned about cyberbullying, as we’ve had students who needed counselling because of such incidents,” she said.
They must not be affected by such negativity, Rajwani said, advising them to block the trolls and focus on their career goals. She would also often remind them not to post content from an unverified source.
“What you share may reflect your thinking skills. If you’re prone to sharing fake news, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, you are likely to be shunned by employers,” she said.
George said some companies have even added a clause to their policy that requires candidates to be upfront about incidents on social media that deserve their attention.
When a person has been associated with an unfortunate incident that has gone viral on social media, she said it’s best to come clean with potential employers about it.
If a candidate chooses not to disclose such information, she said employers could become aware through a simple search or reference check.
If such a conversation occurs, George said the candidate must be willing to have a frank conversation.
“For me, it’s not about the fact that you’ve made a mistake but what did you learn from that experience? How did you move forward to become a better person?
“The way you own up to past mistakes could make a huge difference,” she said.
People should not assume that their past transgressions will be forgotten just because they have left a company or the incident is no longer talked about on social media platforms.
“They must be willing to bear the consequences of their actions. I think that’s the problem, as people are too trigger-happy when it comes to what they say or do on social media.
“Their past mistakes could come up again and they should be ready to explain themselves,” she added.
George said more companies in Malaysia are also updating their employee handbook or employment contract to include a social media policy to prevent employees from posting content that could reflect badly on the company.
“I can see why it needs to be instituted today as more awareness and policies are needed to safeguard both employers and employees,” she concluded.
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