Social Media Mistakes to Avoid in the Job Search

• Bonnie Johnson
• July 22, 2024
• Newsletter Article

Are you unintentionally making career-killing mistakes on social media? Don’t worry—AgCareers.com breaks down the most common pitfalls and offers actionable advice to elevate your online presence. Enhance your digital strategy and position yourself as a top candidate in today’s competitive job market.

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’m definitely not a social media expert. However, in working in the HR industry with AgCareers.com over the past five years, I’ve seen, heard about and experienced many social media mistakes that you won’t want to repeat. Think before you post!

 

Social Media Mistake #1: Posting interview follow-ups

 

“The hiring manager rambled on and on during my interview,” one applicant tweeted. “I totally aced my interview today; bet I get a job offer tomorrow,” gloated another on Facebook. Don’t think that employers aren’t looking, because they are! Before you share, take the time to ask yourself, “Could my comments be taken negatively?”

 

Social Media Mistake #2: Asking stupid questions

 

“Will I have access to Facebook at work?” asked one candidate in their first interview. Do you think they got a second interview? We’ve heard there is no such thing as a dumb question, but unless you are interviewing for a marketing or digital communications role, stay away from comments about social media during interviews.

 

Social Media Mistake #3: Talking negatively about your current employer

 

Find out if your employer has a social media policy. Think twice before posting a negative comment about your current job, employer, boss or coworkers on social media. Even if you hope to find a different job soon, consider how a prospective employer would react if they saw your negative comments….do they want to run the risk of hiring someone that has a record of publicly sharing negative comments about their employers?

 

Social Media Mistake #4: Using personal accounts for professional networking

 

Don’t make the mistake of networking with industry professionals on your personal Facebook profile. Sending a friend request to someone you met once at an industry event might seem a little creepy. If you want to use Facebook for networking, I’ve heard of people setting up two separate profiles; one for friends and family to highlight your evening/weekend fun and share photos of your kids, and a separate profile for professional networking that shares photos of industry events and more.

 

Or, consider setting up a professional account on LinkedIn and invite them to connect. If your Twitter account is clean, you may also want to start following them. Feel free to share insightful comments on their tweets to engage in professional conversation.

 

For more helpful social media tips, check out these previous AgCareers.com articles:

 

A Social Media Makeover: Making your Accounts Professional

Social Media in the Job Search Process

Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword