Whether or not we want to admit it, as teens and young adults we all do our fair share of social media stalking. Whether it's someone we like, someone we hate, or the fact the somehow we ended up looking at pictures of our ex's cousin's best friend's trip to Antigua in summer of 2014 because we're neck deep in stalking and swiping left, there is always someone we are on the lookout for online. The clickable quality of social media makes it seem almost natural to get our stalk on- we post to share, but that doesn't necessarily mean we always know who beyond our follow count is checking out our profile. Human curiosity, envy, and intrigue at times win out to an extent with Internet users that could rival even the best private investigators. If we've got the right person on our mind, we can be downright nosy.
While we usually use our online super- sleuthing to score those screenshots for the group chat or spill the tea to our mom, if we shift our gaze from gossip, romantic conquests, and trash talk to business networking, it can be said that our social media secret guilty pleasure is our biggest weapon in the millennial job search arsenal.
If before a job interview, you haven't copy- pasted the name of the person you are trading e-mails with into Google and every social media platform from Facebook to Instagram, you're doing it wrong.
One of the best ways to predict the quality of a phone call, video chat, or employment pending interaction is by trying to learn about the type of person who may be seeking to bring you onto their staff. See how they dress in photos, if you can find videos of them online, and if you can sense their personality type. Do they dress conservatively? If so, so should you. Are they trendy and new-age in how they use social media or discuss themselves on LinkedIn? Show you're on their wavelength when they ask you "So, tell me about yourself."
The key here, just like making sure you don't like that post from 112 weeks ago, is to not let a future employer or co-worker know you've been all up in the business. Obviously, they're not dumb. Employers definitely look up potential hires online, so I think they would hope you'll have enough interest in them to reciprocate the action. Researching online for career help extends well beyond just the people looking at your resume; you should be looking up other corporate stats such as company "culture," news and recent events surrounding the place of employment, and the core values the place you're applying for holds dear.
You want to treat a possible job like a first date.
You're probably better off knowing too much and gradually playing it off like you know just enough to be appealing in an interview or phone call. You want to be interested, but you don't want to sound like you know too much to be a good candidate for apprenticeship or future learning. Definitely, do your homework while on your job search. People like people who care and want to know more.
So, put your nosy self to work and it might lead you to some really job opportunities!
