How to Create a Professional Social Media Presence

There are numerous tasks to complete and materials to optimize when searching for a job in the sports industry. Once you discover where your best fit is, you need to tailor your resume for each job you apply to, write a compelling cover letter, and make a memorable impression at the interview. One crucial spot that gets overlooked by job seekers is social media, and that’s where Jayden’s question to the WorkInSports Podcast comes in:

“Hey Brian – I really enjoyed last week’s show talking about why you might not be getting second interviews. Can you go deeper into how to handle your social media accounts? It freaked me out to know that employers look at that stuff. Now, I’m worried mine may be hurting my chances, and I want to make necessary changes.”

The Importance of Being Professional on Social Media

Here are some statistics to keep in mind: 70% of employers screen a candidate’s social media before deciding if they should hire them, and 54% of employers have chosen not to hire someone based on what they found. Some of the top reasons hiring managers eliminated candidates due to what they saw on social media were: inappropriate photos or information (39%), discriminatory comments (32%), and content that bad-mouthed employers (30%). While the effectiveness of this hiring approach is debatable, companies utilize it.

Here are a few job search tips to optimize your social media presence in the eyes of potential employers:

•    Go back in your social media history, review your posts, and delete anything objectionable:
•    Share posts that are a good reflection of yourself and your brand
•    Google yourself to see what comes up

Listen to the full episode of the WorkInSports Podcast for job search tips on using social media to your benefit. Subscribe to the show to get our sports career advice the second a new episode comes out, and be sure to check out additional content on our YouTube channel.