Everyone is on social media. Although Facebook remains the most popular social platform, six social media platforms claim over one billion monthly active users – Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat.

TikTok is close with 732 million monthly active users.

Because of the increasing role the internet and technology play in our lives, recruiters are starting to conduct more social media background checks as a part of their hiring process.

They look for information like your hobbies, friend groups, education, and more to verify that you are a reputable and reliable candidate to add to their team.

As a social media user, you might not be thinking about how the content you share will have an impact on your career, but it does.

Results from a CareerBuilder survey indicate that employers are paying close attention to applicants’ online presence to find out more about their character before offering them a job.

Here are some of the specifics that employers are paying attention to:

-Information about the candidate’s job qualifications

-The candidate’s professional online persona

-What content other people are posting about the candidate

-Any red flags, discrepancies, or concerns that shows a reason not to hire the candidate

It’s important to remember that your recruiters aren’t purposely trying to find reasons to reject you. They simply want to understand better what kind of person you are and how your skills and personality will fit into not only the company culture but also the team dynamics.

You shouldn’t be too scared or concerned about sharing aspects of your life and hobbies with your friends and the public. Of course, you should still be aware and considerate of the content you post on your timeline.

For example, if you posted any inappropriate photos or information, recruiters would consider that when determining your reputation and character.

In addition, any toxic behaviours like bad mouthing your friends, swearing, or aggression will also demonstrate your character in a bad light.

Recruiters also browse your social media to verify the accuracy of your application information. They want to know whether you actually attended the university you claimed and graduated with the degree you wrote on your resume. If your social media account doesn’t reflect these statements, it might show was a red flag to your recruiter.

At Triton Canada, we help individuals and organizations get background checks quickly, securely, and affordably. Our solutions include social media background checks, criminal record checks, credit checks, and more.

To learn more about how we can help you, call us at 1-844-874-8667 or visit www.tritoncanada.ca.