For active job seekers, there is a new background check to be aware of — the social media scan.

Social Media Clean Up

Increasingly more employers are reviewing candidates social media profiles to help make hiring decisions. In fact, an infographic from CareerSavy says one in three employers have rejected candidates based a social media profile.

The internet has seen a boom in social sharing over the last decade but with companies reporting that social media is hurting more candidates than helping them, it’s time to take a second look and clean up social media profiles before actively applying for positions. Here a few a social media clean up tips to help ensure a professional profile online.

Google yourself: See what the Internet has to say about you. Plug your name into the top search engines so you can see what info others can discover about you. If there is something inappropriate floating around, figure out how to remove it.

Check your settings: It’s always best to set your privacy settings to private, so your private life stays private. On Facebook, go to your profile and click the “view as” button. This gives you a glimpse into what others can see as friends or public. Some social media platforms make it difficult to censor things so be mindful when sharing.

Delete button: Browse through your social media profiles and delete anything that is inappropriate or unprofessional. Even if these items are 5+ years old, use your best judgment when taking down old posts. Hiring managers look at your profile to see who you are as a person so having questionable photos, statuses, or comments can hinder a candidate.

Add tagging restrictions: After deleting inappropriate posts, go through tagged photos and remove tags on less-than-professional photos. This helps you tell the story you want others to see on your profile while screening what people can tag you in.

LinkedIn love: LinkedIn is your friend especially if you’re a job seeker. Whether you have a profile already or you’re in need of one, make sure it mirrors your resume. This will help future employers discover you. It also gives you a chance to continually update your professional experience. Stay active on the professional platform so your name gets out there to more people.

Leave work at the door: It’s best to keep work conversations at the office. When discussing work on social media, even in a positive light, it can look bad to hiring mangers. Instead, keep your social media profiles strictly about interests and/or life outside of the office. You don’t want a hiring manager to find a post blasting an employer or bashing a boss.

If hiring managers are looking at your social media profiles, you passed the first test with your resume. They want to know how you will fit into the company culture and who you are as a person. You have to make a good first impression for people to want to know more about you. On average, recruiters and hiring managers only spend about 5 seconds scanning a profile, so use these social media clean up tips to impress the crowd!