You may have heard that employers check applicants’ social media pages. The truth is that 60% of employers check applicants’ Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, or other social media accounts before hiring them. If administrators were to check your social media accounts, what would they see? What would it tell them about you? Before you start applying for teaching jobs, review your social media accounts for the following things.
Don’t Post
- Inappropriate or Offensive Pictures or Messages
Pictures shouldn’t show any drugs, profanity, illegal activity, or wild actions. Scan through the pictures that you posted or that others tagged you in. Are there any pictures that might be considered inappropriate or offensive? If so, it would be wise to remove them as soon as possible. This goes for any messages that you have on your accounts that might be considered inappropriate or offensive, too.
- Extreme Opinions
Teachers need to be culturally responsive. As such, administrators don’t want to hire anyone who posts racist, prejudice, or discriminatory statements. Be careful about posting any extreme opinions, too. This includes anything that might show your political affiliation.
- Too Much Information
When it comes to posts, remember that quality is more important than quantity. Rather than posting something every day, you should post education-related articles on a semi-regular basis.
Do
- Write Information Related to Education
As stated before, it’s a good idea to post things that relate to education. This shows potential employers that you are knowledgeable about the field. It also shows that you’re an active member in the education community. This is especially true when you answer others’ questions related to education.
- Organize Your LinkedIn Account
LinkedIn is one of the most important social media accounts when it comes to applying for teaching jobs. Your LinkedIn page is your online resume. What will it teach potential employers about you? Make sure to keep it accurate and organized for others to quickly browse. And, don’t forget to use it to network with other education professionals.
- Include Updated Information
When was the last time that you updated your social media accounts? If it’s been awhile, this can negatively reflect on you. Take the time to update your accounts on a regular basis. You should have a positive online presence with updated information for others to see.
As you review your social media accounts when applying for teaching jobs, remember that potential employers want to get to know you. Who are you? What kind of teacher will you be? Your social media accounts should show your personality without showing anything that would discourage administrators from wanting to hire you.
Leave a Reply