Gone are the days when interviewing for a job was straightforward. You showed up with your resume and portfolio in hand—said all the right things, displayed your work and bam—either you got the job or you didn’t.

But in today’s world, in addition to having a beautiful portfolio site and digital resume, you also need to make sure your online presence, in all forms of social media, is squeaky clean.

According to CareerBuilder, “43 percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, up from 39 percent last year and 36 percent in 2012.”

Employers aren’t impressed with what they’re finding.  This has serious consequences for job seekers. “Fifty-one percent of employers who research job candidates on social media say they’ve found content that led them to not hire the candidate, up from 43 percent last year and 34 percent in 2012,” the article states.

What employers don’t want to find:

1. Photos of you partying (drinking/using drugs).
2. Off-color jokes.
3. Provocative photos.
4. Bad-mouthing previous company or co-worker.
5. Poor communication skills.
6. Discriminatory comments related to race, gender, or religion.
7. Lying about qualifications.

How to get your online presence in tip-top shape:

1. Increase your privacy settings on all social media sites.
2. Google your name to see if you find any “dirt” on yourself. If there is, clean it up.
3. Use your social media presence as a way to showcase your strengths and professionalism.

Read the full article here:  Think Before You Post: Your online presence can cost you a job