Resume Bear has the scoop and some really eye-opening examples of the incredibly dumb things people post online.
If you are searching for a job or applying to a college or even just hoping to keep the job you have you should be very careful what you say and post online. Four out of five recruiters regularly run web searches to screen job applicants. Potential employers and colleges may find your online profile and make judgment calls based on what they discover. With all of the innovative websites popping up it’s getting easier than ever to screen students and candidates online.
One recruiter I recently spoke to says that she went as far as to set up rss feeds by certain keywords to facilitate the candidate screening process. More and more employers are starting to monitor the online behavior of their employees. A good rule to live by is “Don’t share anything online that could come back to haunt you later on.” Mentioning how you get drunk every night or how many times you’ve lied on your resume won’t make you an attractive candidate for potential employers.
And if you think that sounds too crazy and no one would ever be that dumb … check out the 30 examples they found. Yikes!
btw -I don’t say anything nearly that exciting, but for job search tips and news, you’re welcome to follow me on Twitter.