We all use our résumés to present our best, most professional face out prospective employers. We use fancy language like “responsible”, “management”, “achieved” and “accomplished”. We want to sell ourselves as quality applicants and so for many people the idea of including social media in a resume seems counterproductive. Obviously, through all the black and white and standard structure of a resume we want to give a bit of personal insight and this is certainly one way to do that. With the growing intersection between social media and business there is a substantial gray area where using social media in your resume can, in some situations, actually help your case.
Social Media and the Workplace
We really can’t deny that Social networking has changed our generation. The way we communicate, the way we interact with other people the way we sustain relationships. Can we possibly ignore that it has changed the way we work too? We’ve all heard the urban legends about so-and-so who got fired for something they posted on Facebook. Well, the thing is it’s not just a legend. It. Happens. People screw up by posting inappropriate statuses, tweets and images all the time. These social media channels have allowed us to scream our innermost thoughts from the top of a virtual mountain. So we have to learn to control ourselves. Some people don’t associate with co-workers online; others want to or find it unavoidable. That’s why you might consider this rule: don’t post anything online you wouldn’t want your boss, grandmother and children to see. It’s a little strict, but it’s also a pretty good way to make sure you don’t embarrass yourself or worse, do real damage to your life.
Good reasons NOT to list them
It’s pretty easy to figure out why we shouldn’t put our social media account on a résumé. Most of our personal lives are…off-color. We don’t need prospective employers to look at pictures of us drunk at our cousin’s 4th of July picnic. We don’t need them to read all about our messy, hateful break ups. For a lot of us, our sense of humor is an acquired taste. And all of us are guilty of over sharing, over whining and basically going over-the-top on our Social Media accounts at some time or another. That’s why we hesitate to give employers such a deep of an insight into the “real” us this early in the game. But, in the event your profiles aren’t particularly embarrassing, there are some really good reasons to go ahead and put them in.
Good reasons to list them
Social Media has become an integral marketing platform for business of all kinds and the skills required to maneuver and use them successfully could be a tribute to your various talents. If you can demonstrate relevant abilities through your profiles, absolutely add them to your resume.
Some social media sites like LinkedIn are specifically intended for professionals. If you a LinkedIn profile, it is great for resumes. For one thing, if others have given you recommendations they can fortify your candidacy. The employer may also recognize some of your connections and, assuming all of your connections would endorse you that can be even more persuasive than a testimonial from a stranger.
Accounts on sites like Digg, Reddit, and other content sharing sites could be very useful if social media promotion can be utilized in the job you are applying for. If you have a huge active network that is a major attraction. If, on the other hand, you enjoy Digging radical conspiracy theories well, then leave it off.
Other sites like Facebook and Twitter are a little tougher to call. But if you are in an internet related industry, or any line of work that involves networking, a strong and diverse Twitter following could be a valuable asset. A well done, Facebook page could indicate a talent with FBML or a successful group or other appropriate campaign could demonstrate your success as a promoter. Both qualities might be appealing to many internet savvy employers.
If we consider a broad definition of social media to include blogs marketplaces, and photo sites these can be very powerful indicators on a resume.
Blogs give insight into writing capabilities along with consistency, passion and self-motivation.
Profiles on Ebay or Etsy aren’t right for every resume but if you want to show that you’ve been able to deliver top of the line customer service, ratings on these sites could be proof of that skill. Just make sure to put it into perspective, don’t just put the link in there without explaining what you hope the employer will glean from it.
Photo sites like Flikr can show your skill with a camera and your creative eye. Jobs that require visual ingenuity could value this evidence of your ability.
Social media isn’t going anywhere, and it’s only going to creep more and more into our careers as the lines between personal and professional life continue to blur. The more you can do now to take your online identity into a direction that is suitable for any audience, the more prepared you will be for this inevitable merging. In the mean time, even if you want to keep some networks more geared toward friends and an outlet for your true self, that’s fine. But do consider the benefits of developing some social media profiles that can serve as powerful allies in your quest to market yourself to future employers.
via Should You Include Social Media In Your Resume? | The Recruiters Lounge.
Should You Include Social Media In Your Resume?
