Social Media. There is something for everyone. Depending on your generation you'll be on Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram or Twitter/X (actually are people still on Twitter?). Over the last 20 years we've also seen the rise and rise of LinkedIn. As a recruiter I find it a necessary evil - useful in parts but I don't use it to promote my personal brand, I use it to highlight roles and to network with people.
Anyway. My process when a client briefs me on a new role is obviously all about sending CVs and then generating a shortlist for the client. I would say that nowadays, 8/10 clients will automatically have a little look on LinkedIn and other social channels to see what's out there in the ether.
One of my clients hiring for an Content Writer highlighted a number of typos in the LinkedIn page for a candidate. A key criteria for that role was 'attention to detail' so it was an immediate fail. Another client, hiring for an Account Manager found the posts that a candidate was posting were consistently narcissistic with some very negative views about the creative sector. So that was a no too. Clients have also rejected candidates based on their choice of photograph (skimpy clothing, cocktail in hand), too much promotion of their side hustle, overbearing political views and over-sharing of personal life stories.
Clearly LinkedIn is a professional social channel. Prospective employers will judge people from what they see on it. Yes, they may then look at your Insta feed but they're far less likely to judge you as that's not a professional platform (from an agency recruitment perspective). LinkedIn is different and as a candidate, particularly if you are job hunting, you need to ensure that it's up to date, factually correct, no typos and to ensure that your posts are relevant to you in a professional capacity. I see daily a lot of blurred lines where personal posting overrides the professional and to an extent I can understand this and yes, it's very subjective - what one employer doesn't like, another may have a different opinion. However, by and large, I'd suggest that your LinkedIn profile is kept professional and to save the 'funnies' for your personal channels. Obviously if you don't want anyone to look at your channels then it's important to get your privacy settings right but if too much information is out there in the ether then it could come back to bite you.
By Fiona. 15 January 2026.