Like most people, you are probably on social media as a means to connect with family and friends. However, putting out information for public view also means hiring managers have access to your personal information. In most cases, they will access your social media accounts to see what kind of person you are and whether you may be a good fit with their municipality. If hiring managers find anything they don’t like, they may pass you over in favor of another candidate.

Find out how these three red flags could cost you the job you want.

Badmouthing Employers or Co-Workers

Avoid speaking ill of people you currently or used to work with. According to a 2014 CareerBuilder survey, 36% of hiring managers passed on a candidate due to gossiping about co-workers. Speaking negatively about your workplace makes hiring managers doubt you’re a team player who supports the municipality. If you have no trouble complaining about a job, odds are you’ll do it again with your next one.

Getting Too Personal

Sharing specific information can take you out of the running for a position. According to a 2014 Carnegie Mellon study that analyzed how what employers find online about candidates affected their hiring decisions, there was significant discrimination against hiring Muslim candidates when compared to Christian ones. Also, according to a 2013 Rice University study, pregnant job candidates typically received more interpersonal discrimination from employers, including rude treatment, attempts to end the conversation early, and showing pursed lips, furrowed eyebrows and other dismissive facial expressions.

Questionable Content

The hiring manager may wonder whether the issue will affect your ability to perform the work. They also may question your judgment and how you present yourself. According to Jobvite, profanity caused 63% of hiring managers to second-guess a candidate. References to illegal drugs caused 83% to hire another candidate. Sexual posts resulted in 70% of hiring managers bringing aboard someone else. If you have questionable posts, be sure you remove them. If you included in questionable content, ask the person who posted it to take it down.

Find Your Next Municipal Job

At MuniTemps, we can help you find jobs that are not posted, navigate local government bureaucracy and learn the skills it takes to succeed in government. Reach out to us today!