There is no doubt that social media is changing the way we are communicating.
Polls, published on FastCompany put this trend into perspective for Job Seekers:
-45% of employers check social networks before hiring
-11% plan to use social networking sites for screening in the near future
-35% of companies had rejected a candidate based on information from a social-network profile
-14% rejected a candidate for using an emoticon
Here is a summary of why companies DID hire people based on their social media profiles:
-50% chose a candidate because the profile communicated a “good fit” and personality
-39% based on professional qualifications
-39% based on the creativity of the candidate
Lesson: Clean up your dirt online, keep it real, be creative.