Employers have embraced social media and have incorporated it into their hiring practices. Candidates used to be considered based on their referees and what former employers have had to say. Today the landscape has changed significantly.

Employers routinely check up on candidates’ social media presence. With the world at their fingertips, they can check up on a candidate’s character by looking through instagram, facebook, youtube and many other forms of social media.

Just because you have your privacy settings locked down doesn’t mean you have control over your online presence. Likes, shares, re-shares can all be tracked and many employers look at your digital footprint to determine if you may or may not be the right fit for a job.

It doesn’t stop there. Employers also regularly check up on their employee’s online presence and if they think an employee is acting and or behaving in a way that is against their corporate culture or beliefs, it could easily put their job at risk. Take into consideration the security guard who recorded and posted their gastric fireworks. While he gained viral status on instagram with his posts, his employer felt it did not put the business in a positive light and he was fired.

When you’re looking for work it’s always good to go back through your social media and ask yourself, are my digital footprints clean?