Social media is becoming more prevalent in our lives with every passing year. Today, it is turning into a major concern for job seekers. Employers will look up their applicants on social media networks, and like it or not, they will make judgments based on what they see. Put your best foot forward and make yourself perfectly employable by remembering the do’s and don’t’s of social media for job seekers.

Do: Adjust Your Privacy Settings
Privacy settings are very important on social media. If you’ve never given a second thought to your privacy online, consider the fact that everything you post on social media networks becomes public domain. You wouldn’t give the whole world unlimited access to any other part of your life. Adjust your privacy settings to avoid letting anything slip to the wrong audience.

Don’t: Broadcast Inappropriate Messages
Even if you have your privacy settings set to the maximum, don’t use your social media accounts as places to air your dirty laundry. Venting about frustrating and negative events in your life is healthy and beneficial, but some things aren’t appropriate for public viewing on social media, and they will tarnish your reputation in the eyes of potential employers.

Do: Be Consistent With Your Information
Consider that employers are going to be checking you out on social media sites, and don’t confuse them. Be consistent with your information, especially when it comes to education, employment and work history. This is one of the first ways an employer will check the accuracy of your resume, and you don’t want your important professional information to become convoluted. Keep everything consistent, so as to be clear and professional.

Don’t: Call Yourself a Job Seeker
Although you may be currently unemployed and seeking employment, don’t advertise this fact on your social media accounts. Most profiles have a section for professional information, and referring to yourself as unemployed in social media profiles quite simply makes you look unemployable. Identify with your industry. Whatever your past lines of work or future ambitions may be, use them to describe yourself and show employers your level of ambition.

Do: Build an Internet Presence
Job seekers shouldn’t sky away from social media. In fact, there is tons of potential to build a positive presence for yourself on the internet. Cultivate a shining image for yourself. Make your accomplishments known. Build an online portfolio and link to it on your social media pages. Whether you’re looking for work in search engine optimisation in Melbourne or fashion design in New York, building a strong presence for yourself on the web will make you look more professional and desirable to employers.

Don’t: Forget About the Past
Just because you’ve forgotten about something doesn’t mean it’s gone. Social media archives can go back a long time, so remember to take this into account when you brush up your profiles. Perhaps you have old accounts that you don’t use anymore, but that contain personal information you don’t want to be publicly available. Whatever the case, remember to polish up your past as well as your present to promote a professional and employable image on the web.