How To Get Fired Before You Ever Get Hired

Story by: Jim Stroud

Did you know that you were fired from jobs that you were unaware of?  Believe or not, it's true and all due to your online presence, or lack thereof.

 

Recruiters are always on the hunt for new talent and the internet is a prime resource. If they are looking for someone with your skillset and you are not out there networking in online forums, sharing your expertise or presenting yourself as an expert in your field, then how would they know to consider you for roles they are trying to fill? And if you decide that submitting a resume is all the proof of your expertise that a recruiter needs, think again.

 

More often than not, a hiring manager is choosing between a few candidates with equal strengths and needs something to help him decide between them or validate their choice. So, where do they go? They look online to see what a search engine gives them. If the information out there showcases your skills and expertise in your field, then so much the better.  If it depicts you in a negative light, so much the worse.

 

In order to position yourself as a valuable candidate in the eyes of recruiters, you must do all of the following:

 

 

Keep Your Professional Life And Your Personal Life Separate

 

I call this my “Superman” rule.  When Superman is fighting crime and saving kittens in trees, he portrays himself a certain way. No one recognizes him as Clark Kent when he is out of uniform. Should someone wonder if Superman is good for a job and do their research, they will find nothing on his life as Clark Kent because the two are separate.

 

Make sense? If not, let me say it another way: when you are discussing your work or your industry, use your real name. Should you feel the need to dance on top of tables with a lampshade on your head, call yourself “boogie dancer 21.” When recruiters are doing a search on your background, they will be looking for data connected to your real name and not “boogie dancer 21.”

 

 

Remember Why You Are Online

 

As “Boogie Dancer 21” you can say and do anything online. However, when using your real name, you must be very careful about how you portray yourself. The things you do and say can come back to haunt you. Case in point, what do you think has happened to the people who sent out the following tweets? (Note - these are real world examples).

 

"I hate my job. I'm going to start applying to new ones soon"

 

"Pretty sure my boss is related to satan"

 

"I get some of my best thinking done while my boss is talking to me"

 

Maybe their present employer has not noticed them yet. Or, maybe a jealous co-worker sends copies of those tweets to HR in an attempt to get them fired. Or, nothing happened at all and the tweets are forgotten about only to show up later at an inopportune time. Who knows? The point of it all is, why put yourself in a negative light?

 

When online as you (and not “boogie dancer 21”) keep in mind that the whole world has access to your content, so give them what you want them to see. Promote your skills and competence, watch out for bad grammar and typos, and make sure that what you post is consistent with your personal brand.

 

That last bit is crucial. Why take the chance?