Are you suffering from digital overload?



FINDING YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING THESE DAYS?

Are you up at 4:30 am and find yourself checking Facebook and Twitter to see if anyone has an update or liked your clever comment or picture. and finding no one liked them immediate turn your semi-depressed mind to your text messages and email? Then you're off to shower and after-the-shower toast and coffee while curiosity forces you on to determinedly check other websites to ensure you are up-to-date before you go into the office.

Once you arrive at your workplace, do you head into the office break room to have a Starbucks and

donut while discussing with your co-workers all of your now up-to-date info? Then, once you have  downed your coffee and second chocolate donut, do you head back to your desk to begin checking and answering your work email, monitoring the internet for any updates you may have missed earlier and then move on respond to phone messages while asking yourself while looking at the clock..."Where did the morning go?" 

You are suffering from digital overload. While a somewhat serious and contagious condition, it can be cured!  How?  Take some time to take a few steps back and breathe! 

What your digital presence says to an employer...

You have been searching for the right position, and you have done everything you should do-updated your resume/CV and LinkedIn profile - so why aren't you getting interviews?

It could be your social media presence. Today's savvy employers want to know who they are asking in for an interview or hiring.  With social media at an all-time high in usage, it isn't very hard for you to get known pretty quickly through your online presence.

Today, Facebook and other sites are an employers' window to who you are.  Even if you have set your privacy settings on high, a lot of personal information can still be garnered by a potential employer - including who you are connected to, your interests and passions, your affiliations and political ideals, your religious beliefs and other information can be pretty easy to get to. 

Here are a few things a potential employer might look at:

Multiple profiles.  Do you have multiple profiles on various media sites?  Perhaps creating multiple profiles has a meaning to you but, to an employer, the first thing brought to mind might be "why?".

Your pictures. Is your profile picture seductive, silly or a graphic?  Yes, your personal life is your business, but these are immediate turnoffs to a recruiter or potential employer. Images posted by your "friends" or connections or your Likes or emoji may also affect the way your persona is viewed. 

Your grammar and spelling.  What do your posts reveal about you?  Many employers probably would be hesitant to hire someone as an Administrative/Executive Assistant who posted "Cease the day" rather than "Seize the day" to represent their company.

Your statements.  Do you make political statements (or statements of any kind), post lewd or weird pictures and nonsense (the list is pretty long, but the point is to be very selective)?  During your career hunt, this information should probably be put in "hold" status.

Many other factors that may sway an employer from calling you in for an interview or hiring you. However, making a few changes to how and what you put in your online information just might improve your chances. Good luck!