What do companies know about me? The power of social networks

In another article we talk about how today, the people with whom we have less contact can attribute a personality, character or way of being based on the content we generate in social networks, although this has a dubious validity.

However, this assessment is not only found in the people who follow us on Facebook or Instagram. The possibility of getting to know us better through the data contained in social networks It has also reached the large companies and their corresponding personnel selection departments.

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Social networks and company selection processes

Social networks are a tool widely used in the selection process , since they provide free information about the person requesting the position. According to the data collected by the fifth edition of the 'Infoempleo-Adecco Social Networks and Labor Market Report', 86% of companies consult the social networks of the shortlisted candidates before making a hiring decision.

This report collects another data, and is that 47% of candidates with accounts or accounts in social networks has been contacted by this means in relation to an offer of employment in, at least, one occasion. The professional social network par excellence is Linkedin, being the best considered network (67%) in the positive evaluation of social networks as a channel of attraction and selection of talent, which rises up to 92%.

The location of the profile on the internet is used mostly in the recruitment phase before starting the selection process, which implies that the information presented can be used as a discard filter or, on the contrary, for adaptation to a specific position.

Mainly Looking for aspects related to the path and curriculum vitae . However, who knows if the search of the recruiter to check your career can find information about your profile that contradicts your CV, or that shows negative comments about former colleagues, confirm membership of extremist groups, political affiliations, high-risk hobbies; or in extreme cases, content that advocates violence, discrimination or promotion of alcohol and / or drug use. In short, content that can go against yourself if you are actively seeking employment and that everyone can find on the network.

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Use the Internet in our favor

However, this presents an easy solution. Even if we think that this information may go against us, We have the ability to generate content that contributes to achieving those goals that can be achieved by influencing the perception of others.

With a simple revision of our name in Google, we can eliminate all that information that we do not want to be reflected to the public and, at the same time, select and develop that we want to be considered in any assessment made by people who take a look at our profile Recall the 6 laws of influence of Robert Cialdini that can play in our favor. Since if we do things right sooner or later someone will look for our information in the networks, we can always transform what is shown in a cover letter.

Let's be honest, social networks are here to stay. The power that a person presents today at the time of projecting a first impression , it no longer lies only in the first physical encounter, as was common a few decades ago. At present, the image we give is complemented to a large extent in the walls of our networks and the consequences can be positive or negative.

Everything depends on us becoming aware of the amount of information that today can take from us: companies, friends or strangers; and take the decision to review, update and enhance the content that is useful for the objectives that we set.

Maybe it's time to write our name on Google and check what the results are, delete some photos of our past on Facebook or Instagram or make content on our LinkedIn profile. The question we must ask ourselves is, how can social networks help me achieve some of my goals?