SUSAN'S TIP CORNER
Social Media & Employment. Getting Hired Or Not.
It is extremely unrealistic for any person to think that potential employers are not checking you out on social media venues. They are looking you up on Face Book - Twitter - Four Square, etc. any and all Blogs that are out there that you participate in and with. They are Googling you and seeing who you are and if you are a good fit for their corporate structure/culture/personality. They are not just looking at your resume or personal references.
On Face Book they are looking at your conversations, your photos and all alliances and special groups that you joined. They are looking at the kind of people that you are socializing with and they are reading your conversations and comments. So, all I can say is "clean up your act" if there is anything that is questionable. Google yourself........... See what comes up. You might be very surprised. Potential employers are absolutely utilizing social media to see what kind of person you are.
If they employ you as a full time flight attendant, or a contract/freelance corporate flight attendant, or a pilot, aviation manager, ANY position in life actually, they want to make sure that there is nothing that screams out at them. It is a direct reflection of them as an employer.
If employed by a Fortune 500 Corporate Aviation Flight Department, you are taking care of from an aircraft safety standpoint and a safe catering standpoint their company's best asset...... their CEO, his corporate family and personal family at times. You and your reputation, liaisons, alliances and the way that you "show up" in person as a professional, (educationally, intellectually and knowing the job and industry) in the interview process with a non negative social media history is what will entice and influence someone to hire you............... or not.
I am personally very active on Linked-In and involved in many business aviation conversations. I am always taken back by unprofessional photographs. I ask myself all the time, "What is this person thinking"? A professional head shot is appropriate for a social media business site.
I have seen women in what I would call risk ay clothing, pictures with their pets, on vacation and these are not professional. Men in sports cars, surfing on the beach, etc. I just saw one this morning from a woman looking for a flying position with a low cut red dress on. That is not the image of a professional business aviation person. I have been told by a major recruiter that on business cards/cover letters/resumes it is actually not legal for them to keep that packet on file due to discrimination issues if there is a photograph and they choose to not hire that person for any reason.
As a previous lead flight attendant, I did not care what you looked like. Being a beauty queen is not what is going to get you the position. It is the content of your CV/resume and what you bring to the company as a professional. Having a good appearance is important of course, but that is not what is going to get you a job. What will get you employment is experience, training, good references and that you fit the company's corporate culture/personality along with a fresh attitude and no social media negative baggage.
Just some good employment tips.
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