The Internet serves as many people’s online cover letter. People often check social networks of someone they’ve just met to learn about shared interests, hobbies, or connections. It isn’t surprising that employers also review digital profiles when selecting the best candidate for a role. In fact, a 2022 report from Infojobs found that six in ten companies looked at applicants’ social profiles before making a decision, a ten-point rise from the year before.
Building a personal brand, meeting more companies, growing the contact network, or showcasing distinct skills are all benefits of networking. The main advantage is that professionals move from simply reacting to offers to becoming proactive, creating their own job opportunities. This can be achieved by having a complete, consistent, and up-to-date profile that allows individuals to promote themselves on social platforms and expand their network with experts. Strong online fingerprints matter, as do direct connections. A study by Lee Hecht Harrison shows that three out of four job offers in some markets come from acquaintances rather than public, visible networks. If someone receives a job lead and realizes that a contact fits the profile, that contact can close the hiring circle.
It isn’t necessary to be overly flashy. Yet developing a personal brand adds value. The first step is to establish a routine as a user: log in, engage, and comment two or three times a week, and within a few weeks a real network of contacts can emerge. A disciplined routine is considered crucial by career strategy experts.
The professional target should guide the choice of networks to focus on. In North America and parts of Europe, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok are commonly used by recruiters. It helps to know where industry peers and potential employers are most active and then decide which network to prioritize. Adapting the message language and tone to each platform matters. Hashtags on Twitter, industry groups on Facebook, and keyword optimization on LinkedIn all play a role. TikTok is particularly well-suited for creative fields such as photography, architecture, design, food, or beauty.
What about posting casual selfies or party photos? They aren’t automatically disqualifying, but recruiters often do not favor content that intrudes on personal space unless it reveals something about professional behavior. If human resources review these profiles, the most common issues are inconsistencies, false information, extreme views, negative conduct from colleagues, or disrespectful behavior toward the public. A balanced approach helps: aim for a profile that shows about 80 percent professional content and 20 percent personal, an ideal shared by many industry observers.
Indispensable for employers
The first consideration when hiring is consistency between the résumé and what is visible online. The basic criteria remain the same: meeting requirements, years of experience, and relevant skills. Strong professional connections can also matter because a candidate with a well-regarded contact may be easier to reference. The careful handling of the résumé online is a priority, since typos or careless posts on social platforms can weigh against a candidate.
Opting out of social tools for job searching remains possible, but many employers do not. A CareerBuilder survey found that nearly half of hiring managers are less likely to pursue candidates who lack a social presence.