Lifestyle

Tailor your social media to catch employers’ attention

By now, the advice is rote: Don’t put anything on Facebook you wouldn’t want a future boss to see. Less obvious? That employers actually look at LinkedIn before they check Facebook — and that they’ll check out your Twitter picture, too. We asked a few recruiters and career experts for their tips on tailoring your social media presence, from profile picture to the big picture.

1. Tailor your photo to the job you want . . .

“We look at LinkedIn first,” says Trudy Evans, the hiring manager for e-Builder. She recommends an applicant’s profile picture be in line with the type of job he or she is looking for. Someone seeking employment in a very corporate sector, for example, doesn’t have to spend money on a headshot, but should use a more formal and poised snapshot. Yes, that means a business suit. “Even if the work environment is business casual, the more professional your picture, the better the impression you leave,” she says. And someone going into a creative field might want to use an edgier profile photo, as an example of their work that might help them land an interview.

2. . . . but don’t overdo it.

“Sometimes professional photographs can feel uptight,” says Nicole Williams, a career expert at LinkedIn. She suggests focusing on body language and the overall message your avatar will convey. “The key to a great profile picture is to exude confidence and energy,” she says. Sit up straight, smile, and make sure to keep your eyes open — “You’ll be nonverbally communicating that you’re confident, competent and have a curiosity about the world.” And if you’re not the most talented with a blow-dryer or eyeliner, it can’t hurt to get your hair and makeup done. “Think of it as an investment in your job search,” she says.

3. Consider creating a professional Twitter account separate from your personal one.

David Bakke, an editor at personal finance Web site Money Crashers, recommends using your first and last name as your username, and a professional photo for your avatar. For your avatar, “briefly highlight your skills and expertise, and strategically work in the fact that you’re looking for work,” he says.“Don’t scream it from the mountaintops. Keep the hashtags out, and focus on your experience.”

4. For your personal Twitter account, worry less about your photo than your feed.

“People recognize Twitter is a much more social vehicle [than LinkedIn],” says Marv Russell, author of “Finding Your Internship.” Russell says that while LinkedIn pictures should be “at a minimum, casual professional,” employers won’t hold a casual Twitter photo against an applicant, as long as it’s not “a picture where you’re engaged in a behavior that will give me the impression you’re out of control” — like drinking a shot from an ice luge on a night out. Along those lines, Russell warns employers will also often scan applicants’ public Twitter feeds to make sure they don’t engage in any troubling online behaviors.

5. Finally, don’t forget about the rest of your Internet presence.

Everyone knows employers often Google prospective employees. But your results also include everything that pops up in Google Images. “When you do a Google Image search, the photos associated with your name will come up,” says Danielle Dorter, senior vice president and director of human resources at ID Media. Delete or limit access to pictures that don’t portray you in a flattering light. “Make sure your profiles are limited to being viewed by only those in your approved networks, or, at least, ensure you have a social media presence . . . that shows the side of you that you want to be seen,” she says. Services exist to help remove people’s personal information from Web sites they did not create, but Dorter says, “Good judgment is cheaper and more valuable as an employer,” she says.