How to Lose a Job on Twitter

Resume Bear has the scoop and some really eye-opening examples of the incredibly dumb things people post online.

If you are searching for a job or applying to a college or even just hoping to keep the job you have you should be very careful what you say and post online. Four out of five recruiters regularly run web searches to screen job applicants. Potential employers and colleges may find your online profile and make judgment calls based on what they discover. With all of the innovative websites popping up it’s getting easier than ever to screen students and candidates online.

One recruiter I recently spoke to says that she went as far as to set up rss feeds by certain keywords to facilitate the candidate screening process. More and more employers are starting to monitor the online behavior of their employees. A good rule to live by is “Don’t share anything online that could come back to haunt you later on.” Mentioning how you get drunk every night or how many times you’ve lied on your resume won’t make you an attractive candidate for potential employers.

And if you think that sounds too crazy and no one would ever be that dumb ... check out the 30 examples they found. Yikes!

Cross-posted on Blue Sky Resumes Blog. btw -I don't say anything nearly that exciting, but for job search tips and news, you're welcome to follow me on Twitter!

Comments

[Paul]

This is great. Well, maybe not great - certainly unfortunate with a little mix of unbelievability :) I saw this a couple weeks ago and was kind of shocked how so many peoples posts caught up with recruiters/company execs. Just amazing - we truly live in transparency these days, which isn't necessarily a bad thing! Thanks for the plug of this again - just as enjoyable to read a second time around. Take care out there everyone.

[Erin Kennedy]

So true. It amazes me how people are still so careless about what they say on these social networking sites. Another mistake is in commenting on blogs. All it takes is typing your name into Google and bam!-- there are all of your replies to posts. Jobseekers, proceed with caution when posting and commenting. You don't want it to come back and bite you in the tush.

Great article Louise and Paul. Thanks!

[Scot Herrick]

The killer, of course, is that companies often take constructive criticism in social media and translate that into "this person hates the company." I'm sure the examples given here are way off the junior high end of commentary, but companies can react just as junior high with constructive comments about them. And fire people who do.

And the rule "don't share anything on-line that could come back to haunt you" is merely covering up the transparency people want. What these people showed was transparent. Stupid, but transparent.

[coach outlet]

it's been a great day!*

[taobao apple peel 520]

Life is tough, we must be stronger

[ugg outlet]

How can my essay/statement impress people?

[Air Jordan]

@Sun shining on the earth!