cleansing your social media for career success.

The internet has become our digital playground, a place where we project our identities and express our opinions freely. While this openness is great for self-expression and connecting with others, it can sometimes throw a wrench in your professional aspirations. When you're on the hunt for a new job, your online presence suddenly becomes more than just a personal outlet — it's a potential first impression for employers. Cleansing social media during a job search is a smart move to ensure that your digital footprint aligns with your professional goals. By taking this step, you can prevent potential employers from stumbling across content that might hurt your chances of landing that coveted interview.

clean up your social media in 8 steps

In addition to this article, "clean up your social media" is a phrase you're going to hear a lot in the course of your career. But what actually needs to be done to clean up your social networks? What exactly does it mean?

Let's talk about how to give your social media a professional makeover. Here are some handy tips to clean up your online presence while job hunting:

make your accounts private

Many popular social media sites have options to make your account private so you can choose who sees your content. If you don’t want to censor yourself online, making your accounts private is a safe option. This allows you to represent yourself however you want without risking your reputation or any potential job offers.

delete questionable photos and posts

If making your accounts private isn’t an option or something you want to do, opt for a social media scrub instead. It’s a little more intensive and involves checking your accounts for content that might be deemed offensive and then removing it. Search for profane words or phrases you might have used, grumpy rants or polarizing political views.

Remove any old posts that could be scandalous or inflammatory or simply paint you in a less-than-flattering light. It’s up to you how safe you want to play it. Photos of you having one too many mojitos on vacation might be borderline. Some employers may understand, but it could be a deal breaker for others. When in doubt, scrub it out.

google yourself

Google the name you plan to use professionally and see what shows up. If you have a common name this may be less of a problem, but if your name is one-of-a-kind, things about you might dominate the results. Curious recruiters often use Google as a shortcut to check up on your social media, so it’s good to know what they’ll find. You might just turn up some old accounts you forgot about. Get rid of anything that no longer represents your professional brand. Aim to clean up the first page, as recruiters will rarely check beyond that. It might take Google’s algorithm a few days to update the results, so don’t forget to check back after removing content to see what’s currently showing.

deactivate accounts you don’t use

When cleansing social media during a job search, don't forget about those digital skeletons in your closet. Do you have an old MySpace account you haven't checked in years? Or perhaps an old X/Twitter account that's lain dormant for the better part of a decade? It might be time to delete these outdated relics. If they're no longer relevant to your personal brand and you haven't kept up with them, there's no point in risking an employer finding them and judging you based on outdated content.

choose a current profile photo

If you choose to keep active social media accounts linked with your professional name, choose presentable, up-to-date photos for your profile page. They don’t have to be professional headshots of you in a suit and tie, but clear photos of you, preferably looking like an approachable person, are ideal. Ditch bathroom selfies, hard-partying photos, duck-face poses or anything that might make a potential employer cringe. Also, make sure it was taken recently; you want employers to recognize you if they meet you in person!

update your headlines

Song lyrics might have been the preferred profile description in the early 2000s, but they may not be presenting you in the best light when you’re looking for a job. Instead of presenting yourself like a moody teenager who can’t get enough Green Day lyrics, opt for a meaningful description of yourself. Your profile description doesn’t have to be completely focused on your career, though sparing a line or two to what you do doesn’t hurt! Hobbies, interests and insights about you round out your profile and give potential employers a picture of who you are and whether you’d fit right into their workplace.

check your follows

Another essential step while cleansing your social media is a quick audit of your follows to eliminate questionable content you’re following. (An added bonus, now is your chance to delete all those accounts you’ve been too lazy to unfollow but are no longer interested in.) Maybe you’re following a disgraced celeb or a friend who has a bad habit of going on rants. It’s pretty unlikely employers will go so far as to judge your taste in trashy reality TV celebs. So don’t stress too much about this.

treat others as you want to be treated

Last but certainly not least, always follow the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated. From the time you were in kindergarten, this mantra was probably repeated to you by parents, teachers and other responsible adults. Put it to good use. That includes on the internet. Speak to others with respect. If a social media conversation gets out of hand, take a step back and withdraw yourself from the situation. Your reputation will thank you.

clean up your social networks as soon as possible!

Cleansing social media during a job search is a crucial step in managing your online reputation. It helps present a professional image and increases your chances of getting hired. At Randstad, our experts can take you a step closer to career success, helping you find the perfect job that matches your goals and personality.