Social Media & Employment Project

The Social Media & Employment Project

This project aims to investigate how young people present themselves on social media when preparing for employment, and how employers use social media in recruitment.

For some young people who have grown up using social media, entire lives have been recorded digitally, presenting unique challenges as they prepare for employment careers and as employers use social media to vet potential employees. What is a 'professional identity' in the era of long-term social media use? How do we manage reputation, privacy, and control across different social media platforms? This study aims to produce new insights into young people’s social media use and how we think about 'employability' in the social media era. We will be talking to high school students, young people looking for work, young people in different employment industries, and HR managers and recruiters. The aim is to provide an evidence base and guide for schools and educators to best prepare and advise young people. This study is funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA).