Employers Are Reviewing Your Digital Footprint

Join us as we talk about…

In this week’s episode…

• You’ll learn the common signs your digital footprint may have been reviewed by potential employer
• Next, you’ll learn how employers are using AI to review digital footprints
• Finally, you’ll learn four tips on how to clean up your digital footprint

Reports by Forbes, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal and even the New York Times have found that up to 90% of employers are rigorously reviewing job candidates’ digital footprints before hiring.

Maybe you’ve been uploading resumes and not hearing anything back. Or, maybe you were hearing back from employers but aren’t anymore. Or, perhaps you had an interview that you thought went well but then didn’t get a reply – instead, they ghosted you.

This is a common sign that your digital footprint may have been reviewed and the employer didn’t like what they saw.

In today’s digital age, the internet has become an indispensable tool not only for job seekers but also for employers. As job candidates, we invest significant time and effort into crafting our resumes and cover letters, but often underestimate the importance of our digital footprint.

Employers, on the other hand, have grown increasingly vigilant about scouring the web to learn more about potential hires. And, today’s rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence has made it easier than ever for employers to find and review not only your public online postings, but also your private postings and even your anonymous postings.

Did you bash a restaurant on Yelp for bad service – a potential employer will likely find out.

Did you post a comment on someone else’s social media post 3 years ago going off on a controversial topic and forgot the comment was there? AI will show employers exactly where it is.

Have you had very open conversations in a private Facebook or LinkedIn group thinking that no one else could access it? AI accounts or employer made accounts can access those groups and once in, review your activity.

Worse, new AI is able to identify your linguistic footprint to find your anonymous posts. Don’t think it’s possible? Think again.

An article posted in the LSE Impact Blog details how AI is being used to crack double blind studies. In the article, it shows how software can name all the authors of any abstract it’s given simply from the abstract itself and no other contextual information.

You might think it’s your right to post what you want on your own time, and today’s social environment may be encouraging you to speak your truth, cancel people you don’t like, and generally show offense as a certified contrarian ad nauseum, but employers don’t care.

They won’t say so publicly but they do not want an online troll working at their company. So, what can you do? Given the increasing scrutiny of your online presence by potential employers, it’s crucial to manage your digital footprint effectively.

First, audit your profiles. Regularly review your social media profiles and delete content that could be viewed negatively by employers.

Second, deprioritize any negative content you may have forgotten about or can’t find by professionally branding yourself. Craft a strong and professional online presence, especially on LinkedIn, to showcase your qualifications and achievements.

Third, Google yourself – that’s right, conduct regular Google searches on your name to see what potential employers might find. Use multiple keywords related to your name. Dig deeply into these searches. Address any concerning content or inaccuracies.

Fourth and most importantly, practice good online etiquette. Don’t assume your posts are anonymous anymore or that a company’s privacy settings mean anything.

Did you really think your Incognito Google Search was private? Think again. Instead, avoid sharing offensive or controversial content, avoid bashing other people, companies and institutions, and remember that once something is posted, it can be challenging to remove it completely, ever.