Canadian recruiters evaluate job applicants using social media before offering them a job or calling them for an interview. This is how they hire newcomers or Canadians for the job vacancies.
On behalf of Express Employment, a study was carried out in January 2023 by the Harris Poll, a major global consulting and market research business. It is a well-known international staffing company. According to the report, more than 60% of Canadian businesses (65%) claim to check a candidate’s social media. 41% of those surveyed in this category claimed to have rejected a job applicant because of material they discovered on their social media accounts.
During the early stages of your job search, improving and editing your social media should be a top priority. While some employers check a candidate’s social media accounts early in the process, others hold off until the very end.
One must note that candidates often require a work permit to continue their job in Canada.
Canadian recruiters evaluate job applicants using social media- what do employers seek?
Owner of numerous Express Employment Professionals offices in Edmonton, Jessica Culo, claimed that newcomers should be on the lookout for on social media. She further claimed that when prospective employers monitor social media, they tend to search for red flags such as inappropriate, unethical, polarizing, or extreme comments or photographs. Moreover, firms refuse to hire them because of candidates’ excessive online political expressions.
According to her, strong political or religious beliefs often portray an image that turns employers off. She claims that foreigners and some Canadians may not understand this. This is also because someone might leave a volatile political atmosphere and may be more likely to engage in political discourse. There might be a higher probability of online debate and employers might dislike this.
This is true for other places as well, not only your LinkedIn page, looked at by employers to gain a feel of your work history. According to Culo, prospective employers are most likely to look up any social media profiles that pop up when they conduct a Google search.
Once hired, social media monitoring continues. According to the Harris Poll results, 86% of companies claimed they would terminate an existing employee for making any “inappropriate posts.” Employers interpret this as conduct that harms the business, divulges private information, or encourages the use of illicit drugs.
Culo suggests keeping your social media accounts secret whenever you can. However, this might be possible if social media requirements aren’t publicly accessible due to the nature of the work you do. She prefers to keep the profile private. As a result, potential employers cannot view everything you post in case of a private profile.
What to look forward to?
If you prefer to keep your online presence public, it may be useful to keep certain points in mind. Grammar and spelling are crucial as they have an impact on the authenticity and authority of your postings. Spelling and grammar mistakes can turn off potential employers.
Culo suggests maintaining a consistent personal “brand” across all of your profiles. By this, she implies that a personal brand should not be distinct from a professional brand when thinking about the image and brand you wish to establish. Conversely, it should be identical and adhere to that. For instance, you shouldn’t show your “unprofessional self” on Facebook while being “professional” on LinkedIn. Be dependable across all social media channels.
Her final tip is to use social media as an effective tool for job searching. Social networking is nothing to be terrified of. Connect with employers you wish to work with on social media. It only needs to be applied with restraint, purpose, and responsibility.
