Before a recruiter or hiring manager schedules an interview, or even reads your application in full, they may already know more about you than you think.
That’s because many HR leaders Google candidates before meeting them in-person to get a broader sense of who they are, how they present themselves, and whether their online presence aligns with the role they’re being interviewed for. In fact, a growing number of employers are even using AI tools to screen an applicant’s social media profile to ensure they’re a real person or even a good cultural fit for the company. Therefore, what shows up in those search results can easily influence whether you move forward or get passed over.
Forbes spoke to a few experts about what they look for when they Google a candidate’s name and why your digital presence is a critical part of your professional brand.
Alignment With Your Resume
One of the most important, but often overlooked, factors that candidates should keep in mind is that “employers are looking for alignment across everything they read and find about you,” says Priya Rathod, workplace expert at job searching platform Indeed. “I always stress that whatever is online about you should back up what your resume says and be an enhancer to that.”
That’s why, Roshaunda Green, global senior talent acquisition partner at the shipping software company Pitney Bowes, advises professionals to Google their name at least once a year to see what comes up.
“You know, some executives have a PR team and they’re Googling that executive once a month,” she explains. “In all honesty, if the only thing you find when you Google yourself is your personal social media platforms — your Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and Twitter — and there is nothing out there that speaks to your corporate brand and reputation, then you have work to do.”
A Professional Digital Footprint
Green emphasizes that everyone should put at least 10-20% of the same energy they put into their personal social media pages into building up their professional presence online with their LinkedIn profile being a great start. Doing this, she says, will lead to “a significant difference in the recruiter feedback to your submissions.”
New data from AI-powered resume platform Novorésumé shows that over 90% of HR professionals and recruiters find a candidate’s LinkedIn profile at least somewhat helpful in their hiring decision.
“Even if you are on a job right now and you’re not looking for a role, your corporate presence on LinkedIn can speak volumes to your internal contribution,” Green says. “I’ve been laid off a few times and podcasters and influencers still reached out to me when I was laid off based on the content I was posting to generate attention back to me. That helped me get my next role.”
From updating your profile with professional experiences, to sharing your expertise, and engaging with industry-related posts, Green says that having a professional digital footprint is a clear way to put yourself ahead of the competition and to show you’re a real person behind your resume.
Your Social Network
Believe it or not, Green says, not only do recruiters Google your name to ensure alignment with your online presence and application, but some even go a step further to see your connections.
“Some companies will randomly just pick three of your connections to see who they are because your connections also speak to your judgment,” she says, while adding that you should always “have an idea how your social media brand is representing you in your absence.”
The Bottom Line
In a competitive job market where there are more job seekers than available positions, it’s important for candidates to understand that they may have to do more to stand out to recruiters today, Green says.
“You have to think outside the box,” she says. That means your work to get the job should start before the interview with “posting relevant content on LinkedIn, highlighting your skill set and your areas of expertise,” she adds. “You have to do more than what you’ve done before because you have to stand out and work harder because of how saturated the job market is.”
Green encourages professionals who are looking for a new job, or thinking about switching jobs, to be strategic about their search. “Get a schedule down and some cadence and just really get disciplined about making your impact and getting that role that is waiting for you,” she says.
