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How to spot a top graduate social media profile

Do you use social media to search for potential candidates? You’re not alone – according to the Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey of 2015, 92 per cent of companies use social channels in their search for top talent. But in a sea of new graduate social media profiles, how can you spot the good ones? As The Independent pointed out recently, there are certain things that simply must be included. So, as an employer, here’s what you should be looking for…

Accurate spelling

This may seem obvious but it is often overlooked. Spelling and grammar should be accurate at all times, especially when posting on public profiles like LinkedIn. Accurate profiles should diligence and an eye for detail – two things that you’ll want if these graduates are updating your company’s social channels in the future.

Professionalism

Unsavoury holiday photos, controversial content or borderline offensive jokes are big no-nos when it comes to content on professional social media profiles. Also alarm bells should ring if you spot any bad language or negative comments about previous employers.

Profile optimsation

The keenest graduates will have already optimised their social media profiles to demonstrate their value and potential. LinkedIn is best for this, but it can also be applied across all the social media platforms. Has the graduate joined groups, engaged with industry contacts and content and connected with influential people? Is their profile full of details of previous projects, volunteer work and career aspirations, as well as the normal education history? The top talent will set job alerts and track hashtags on certain topics and job roles too.

Clean profiles – not just in LinkedIn

Decluttering digital profiles is important for anyone at any level of employment. Graduates would be well advised to scour their Twitter feeds for problematic tweets, embarrassing posts and drunken photos from Fresher’s Week. They need to be showcasing their best, professional self – after all, one day they could be representing your company.

Social media is just one way to find new top graduate talent. Another is to register your new job openings with Gradlink today.