What Do Companies Know About Me? The Power Of Social Networks
In another article we talked about how today, people with whom we have less contact can attribute a personality, character or way of being to us based on the content we generate on social networks, although this has dubious validity.
However, this assessment is not only found in people who follow us on Facebook or Instagram. The possibility of getting to know each other better through the data contained in social networks It has also reached large companies and their corresponding personnel selection departments.
Social networks and selection processes in companies
Social networks are a tool widely used in selection processes , since they provide free information about the person applying for the position. According to the data collected in the fifth edition of the ‘Infoempleo-Adecco Social Networks and Labor Market Report’, 86% of companies consult the social networks of preselected candidates before making a hiring decision.
This report includes another piece of information, which is that 47% of candidates have an account or accounts on social networks. You have been contacted by this means in relation to a job offer on at least one occasion. The professional social network par excellence is Linkedin, being the best considered network (67%) in the positive assessment of social networks as a channel for attracting and selecting talent, which rises to 92%.
Locating the profile on the Internet is mainly used in the recruitment phase before beginning the selection processes, which implies that the information you present can be used as a filter to discard or, on the contrary, to adapt to a certain position.
Mostly Aspects related to career and curriculum vitae are sought However, who knows if, in the recruiter’s search to verify your career, they may find information about your profile that contradicts your CV, or that shows negative comments about former colleagues, confirms membership in extremist groups, political affiliations, high-risk hobbies; or in extreme cases, content that advocates violence, discrimination or promotes alcohol and/or drug consumption. In short, content that can go against yourself if you are actively searching for employment and that everyone can find on the Internet.
Use the Internet to our advantage
However, this presents an easy solution. Although we think that this information could go against us, we have the ability to generate content that contributes to achieving those goals that can be achieved by influencing the perception of others.
With a simple review of our name on Google, we can eliminate all that information that we do not want to be reflected to the public and, at the same time, select and develop that which we want to be considered in any evaluation made by people who take a look at our profile. Let’s remember Robert Cialdini’s 6 laws of influence that can work in our favor. Since if we do things well sooner or later someone will search for our information on the networks, we can always transform what is shown into a cover letter.
Let’s face it, social media is here to stay. The power that a person presents today when projecting a first impression , no longer lies solely in the first physical encounter, as was common a few decades ago. Currently, the image we give is largely complemented on the walls of our networks and the consequences can be positive or negative.
It all depends on us becoming aware of the amount of information that companies, friends or strangers can take from us today; and make the decision to review, update and enhance the content that is useful for the objectives we set.
Maybe it’s time to type our name into Google and check the results, delete some photos from our past on Facebook or Instagram, or create content on our LinkedIn profile. The question we must ask ourselves is, how can social networks help me achieve some of my goals?
