If you want a job in Singapore, clean up your online/social media profile

Many job seekers do not pay attention to their social media profiles, when looking for a job in Singapore. In fact of 585 Singaporeans polled by recruiting experts Hays, 33% said they do not alter their social media habits when job searching because employers won’t look at their profiles.

That’s not a good idea.

Recruiter and employers in Singapore are increasingly using online/social media, to research potential candidates. As per a recent survey by JobsCentral, these are the reasons why a prospective employee might be rejected for a job in Singapore, after checking their online/social media activities:

• Evidence that candidate lied on resume/ during interview – 63.9%
• Candidate shared confidential information about previous employers – 57.6%
• Candidate bad-mouthed previous company or fellow employee – 57.3%
• Candidate appeared to discriminate against a certain race, gender or religion – 43.4%
• Candidate was linked to criminal behavior – 42.7%
• Candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs – 41.9%
• Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information – 37.4%
• Candidate had poor communication skills – 33.3%
• Candidate’s screen/nickname was unprofessional – 14.4%

So if you’re looking for a job in Singapore, do spend a bit of time cleaning up your online act. Here are some quick tips for that:

• Run your name through as many search engines as you can think of and go through all of your social media profiles to check that whatever can be seen by recruiters presents you in a professional light.
• If there is anything that is likely to cause raised eyebrows during the selection process for a job in Singapore, then delete it (or request for it to be deleted if it’s not on your profile/website), or at the very least ensure that your privacy settings only make your content visible to your online friends.
• Don’t forget though, that if, for example, you are tagged in an embarrassing photo in a friend’s album, if that friend’s profile is open for the world to see, a recruiter can still find it.
• Read more here - RECRUITERS GET DOWN AND DIRTY WITH THE HELP OF SOCIAL MEDIA.