A survey by recruiter Randstad has revealed that employers in construction fields are more likely to investigate job candidates’ social media profiles than companies in other industries.
The report shows that nearly a quarter of employers in construction-related fields (24%) would conduct a general internet search for a candidate’s name and 20% would look for a candidate’s LinkedIn profile – considerably more than the 14% of employers elsewhere in the UK jobs market who would do the same.
However, only 12% of employees actually find the time to tailor both their CV and their LinkedIn profile when applying for a new job, compared to the 15% who manage this in the general UK workforce.
The importance of LinkedIn for the construction industry is further highlighted by the fact that people working in the built environment are more likely than the average UK employee to have a LinkedIn account. Randstad says that 66% are registered on LinkedIn compared to 55% of all employees in the UK.
LinkedIn can put job seekers at a disadvantage
But social media can also have a negative impact with 51% of employees in construction, property and engineering positions believing that if all of their social media postings had been visible to their employer they wouldn’t have been offered their current job.
The biggest concern to employees is the risk of causing offence with 27% considering controversial posts a threat to their future career.
A further 20% worried about inappropriate pictures they post, 18% worried being caught “pulling a sickie” and 17% worried about bad spelling and grammar.
Owen Goodhead, managing director of Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering, comments: “LinkedIn can be as much a hazard as an advantage to job candidates. Securing the right new role is all about presenting the best evidence and experience to back up your enthusiasm. So if a candidate puts too much detailed information on LinkedIn or other sites, then they often run a risk of appearing irrelevant – especially if they only rarely update and tailor their profiles to every given opportunity.”
Owen Goodhead: “hazard”
He also offered some advice for prospective candidates on their LinkedIn presence. “The best approach might be to opt for more of a summary online, and save the best specific details for tailored applications. An electrician with decades of experience in maintenance roles would be more than able to prove themselves on a new building site. But if they pigeon hole themselves online, often it can prove just as unhelpful as sending through a CV with entirely the wrong focus.
“Geography matters too – a quantity surveyor based in the south west might be perfectly willing to move to Scotland for a new job, but if their LinkedIn profile contains a detailed history of roles in only one corner of the country, then that might put off employers based elsewhere. In general and whatever the role, finding a new job must be about tailoring a specific application. Too much detail online can be a real hazard.”
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