In our last post, we discussed how social medial profiles are at risk for casting your job interview in a negative light before you have had a chance to make a proper first impression. Today we will discuss methods you can use to prepare your Facebook page for your interview.
Ways to Prepare Facebook
- Block Access
The first thing you will want to do is block anyone from seeing any aspect of your profile page unless they are on your friends list. This includes blocking your profile picture AND taking yourself off of search. If you have someone you would like to be on your friend’s list, you will need to add them yourself until you have found employment. You should also make sure that you have changed the setting so that you are not listed in search engines.
- Change Your Name
Facebook allows you to change your official, legal name. Change your name to something false and delete any “former names.” You can notify your friends that you are changing your name for a job interview. This ensures that even if Facebook changes its privacy settings and makes your profile public, the name associated with your profile will not be your own, and so you will not be found in a search for your full name.
- Clean Your Profile
Despite all of the above changes, it is still possible that a company can get access to your Facebook page. An example of this is if an employee of the company is on your friend’s list. That is why you will also want to clear your profile of anything that may seem unprofessional. Delete any inappropriate quotes or negative statements about your job. Delete any profile photos that may cast you in a negative light. Try your best to clean your profile as best you can, so that if an employer does get access, they will not see anything too damning. If you do not want to delete a profile photo, there are ways to make specific profile photos hidden in the privacy settings, though this is not as safe an option.
Changes are Not Permanent
With the exception of deleting profile images, every change you make for your interview is reversible. It is highly recommended that you prepare your Facebook profile before you even send in resumes so that you can be absolutely sure that the first impression you make at the interview is your best one.
Take Away Interview Tips:
- Adjust security settings to ensure employers cannot access or see any part of your Facebook profile.
- Change your “name” on the profile so that you do not show up in search.
- Clear your profile of any information and photos that will make you appear unprofessional.