Despite how fun it can be to share every thought one has online, every tweet, post, video or blog can come back to haunt its poster.
From revealing the whereabouts of Capital rioters to job offers dependent on TikTokers pulling the plug on their content creation, the combined digital footprint across social media platforms can become a hindrance for jobseekers.
One such jobseeker says she was confronted about her digital footprint. It came back to haunt her in her current job search when a recruiter asked her about some videos she had posted. In a video posted to TikTok that has drawn over 2.4 million views, Aliya (@miniiehi) says this happened when she was looking for jobs in her first year of university.
“So I’ve just experienced my digital footprint backfiring on me,” she says in the video. “I’m about to enter my first year of uni, I’m looking for entry-level jobs, big boy jobs. I’m on LinkedIn now. So I apply for so many jobs on Indeed, Glassdoor, all of it. I get a call from an unknown number.”
The phone call was from the recruiter, who cut straight to the point and asked if she made the TikToks that concerned her during the hiring process.
“She goes, ‘Hello, is this Aliya, blah blah blah, digital marketing.’ I’m like, yeah, what’s up, what’s going on? She’s like, ‘Hi, you’ve applied to this job, I just wanted to know, first and foremost, do you make TikToks?”
After Aliya attempts to claim that she only uses Instagram, the recruiter informs her that they have done a background search that yielded her user name online, as well as multiple videos of her cursing at strangers on TikTok. She advises viewers that it is not worth it to leave an unflattering digital footprint for future employers to find.
“Guys, it’s not worth it,” she says, before pointing out how much stress it has caused her. “Look, I’ve got a rash.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Aliya via Instagram direct message regarding the video.
@miniiehi #fypp #fy #digitalfootprint ♬ original sound – aliya
Several viewers remarked that the majority of young folks will have a digital footprint and that eventually companies will simply have to ignore it when making hiring decisions, comparing it to the outdated idea that tattoos are a barrier to employment.
“If we all have bad digital footprint then they’ll have to hire us anyways,” one commenter joked.
“If we all have digital footprint they cant be picky,” another commented.
“Its like those days when places wouldnt hire you cause your tattoos are showing,” a third user said.
Others encouraged the poster to use different handles and emails for social media to avoid being tied back to videos or social media posts that show them in an unflattering light.
“This why u need a seperate professional email,” one viewer suggested.
“That’s why you never use your actual name online, you don’t use your phone number to sign up for anything, and you use a separate email for work,” another wrote.
“Gotta have a professional email, one that’s disconnected from socials and ensure your name isn’t tied to any social media,” an additional user claimed.