Employers Use Google to Find out Who You Really Are Before the Interview

So what do 80 percent of employers do before they ask you for an interview? They Google you.

Does this surprise you? If you said yes, then you really need to read this article. Because employers in today’s workforce value transparency, you have to make sure your online presence is almost pristine.

Let’s get something straight before we continue, employers aren’t searching Google to intentionally find anything negative, they’re just trying to get to know a potential employee so they can select the perfect candidate for the position available. This is why you should take these four things that employers search for on Google into consideration:

Professional Photos

Employers would like to know what their future employees look like so make sure you have a professional photo taken that is displayed on your online networks so they can see you. Keep in mind, this doesn’t have to be taken in a studio by a professional photographer but it should be in good lighting and you should be dressed professionally.

Online Presence

How much of your work and accomplishments can be found online? Employers want to find out as much as they can about you and an online portfolio is one way of showcasing your skills and build credibility as a potential candidate. An online portfolio will give future employers a good idea of your accomplishments and what you can bring to their company.

LinkedIn Profile

Not only do employers want to find you online, they want to see how you present yourself and how you interact online. Since 96 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to shop for candidates, you should have a completed LinkedIn profile. You could be missing out on potential jobs by not having a professional profile on LinkedIn.

Work Culture

Fitting in with their culture has become a very important factor for employers. Not only do they use Google to find out your qualifications, they use it to assess your personality and behavior online. They check things like the type of content you share and whether or not you have bad-mouthed previous employers or coworkers online.

Employers want to have the ability to assess your credibility before they hire you. That’s why they’re using Google to find out if you’re really who you say you are in your resume. It’s pretty easy for employers to find out whether or not you’re a good fit for their company so the more you care about your presence and reputation online, the better chance you have of landing an interview when your future employer types your name into Google.