Don’t be fooled into thinking that what you post on social media simply effects your social life. Research suggests that approximately 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring. What they see on your accounts, whether that be LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, could determine if you get the job or not.

Hiring managers want to find out what kind of person you are, so they may look at anything from photos and comments to posts and endorsements that helps them determine if you will be a good fit for their organisation.

While we understand Facebook is a platform for your private and not professional life, there are still things the public can see even when your profile is set to ‘private’. Here are four things job seekers should refrain from when wanting to make the best impression for potential employees in the online sphere.

Learn to moderate your own comments

It can be easy to make an offhand, throwaway comment on your Facebook page and think nothing of it. However, while that comment may be typical of how you speak to your friends, it’s not necessarily going to be impressive to hiring managers.

Avoid posting comments that contain profane language, make discriminatory remarks or speak poorly of another company for which you’ve worked. All of these will likely bring up red flags.

If in doubt, before making a comment on a post or photo, ask yourself it it’s something you’d feel comfortable with a future employer seeing.

Be honest about your qualifications

While Facebook is generally used for personal use, many people do put universities or qualifications on their profile. Lying about your qualifications on Facebook, or any of your social media platforms, is a big no-no. Even if it’s just a private joke between you and your friends, it can have detrimental effects on your career.

Wrongly claiming that you studied at a certain institution, have qualifications or worked in a position will most likely be discovered at some point, and when it does you will look deceiving and illegitimate.

Consider which photos to post

As a job seeker, before you post a photo consider if it is something you would be happy for a potential employer to see, or if it might harm your professional career in any way. While we understand Facebook is predominantly used for social purposes, it pays to remember that it is a way that hiring managers gain insight into who employees are outside of work.

For this reason, photos of you making rude or crude gestures, wearing minimal clothing or using questionable substances could all harm your chances of getting hired, so think twice about posting them. This kind of content speaks to your level of judgement and responsibility, calling these qualities into question for employers.

Consider your endorsements

Take careful consideration of any companies, groups or brands that you follow or endorse on your Facebook page, because while you might not think much of it, there’s a chance a hiring manager will.

Try to avoid following a controversial political group, individual or organisation that may promote opinions that are discriminatory, obscene or conflicting with the views and values of the employers that you would like to work for. Groups you follow can often be seen publicly, even if you have activated privacy settings.

Before following any Facebook group, consider whether it may be deemed inappropriate. If you need to stop and think about it for even a few seconds, then it probably is.

Remember, there are elements of your Facebook profile that can see seen by anyone, including hiring managers, even when set to private. For this reason it pays to be smart on your social media. If you want more information on how to best manage your social media accounts when job seeking, take a look at our Employee Social Media Guide here.