A few weeks ago, a candidate asked me something I’d never been asked before:
“Mike, do you think people judge my LinkedIn comments?”
I initially thought, probably not too much.
But after a bit of consideration, I know that some companies WILL check your online presence…
Thoroughly.
So it is something you should be mindful of.
Here’s what I told him:
If you want to be known as forthright and opinionated, fine. Just be aware that it’s a choice, and not every CFO loves Marmite.
It reminded me of an interaction I had a while ago.
I was at a conference in Chicago, having a drink with a young intern…
He proudly told me he’d locked down his social accounts.
But while he was at the bar, I pulled out my phone, typed his name into Google, and up popped a photo of him in Tijuana, mid-tequila shot.
When he came back, I asked;
“So, how was Tijuana?”
I showed him the picture and his face turned pale.
The photo was posted on his friend’s account, but it was still tagged to him.
He was in the middle of applying for internships with a range of top blue-chip corporates, so the next morning, he asked his friend to scrub him out of any tagged photos.
Lesson learnt.
Look – none of us are perfect online. But hiring teams do check. Not to snoop, but to get a feel for how you show up in public.
And so your LinkedIn comments might say more than you think…
They reveal how you disagree, how you handle pressure, and whether you add value or just noise.
So before your next interview, do a quick 10-minute audit:
- Fully AI check and Google check your name + LinkedIn profile
- Check your comments and delete any low-value stuff
- Edit anything snarky or defensive
- Add three thoughtful comments that show real treasury insight
Your online voice is part of your brand.
Make sure it sounds like someone people would want to work with.
Best regards,
Mike
