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Using Social Media when Hiring? Beware!
Using Social Media when Hiring? Beware!
The news has been littered with stories of employees terminated because their social media postings revealed deceit or outright lies to their employers. Most of us have heard stories of employees calling in sick, then posting pictures of themselves partying on Facebook later that day. More and more employers are using social media sites not only to keep tabs on their associates, but also to build a more complete picture of an employment candidate. Is this a good idea? Maybe not. A recent article on LifeHacker.com revealed that research shows over 60% of employers are looking to social networking sites for information on employment candidates. There are some serious pitfalls to be considered before doing so.
First, it is important that you understand the terms of service for each of these sites so that you are not in violation. Facebook, for example, states clearly that you must obtain consent before gathering information on someone, and you must notify that person of your intention for information. It is not OK to snoop without your employment candidate’s knowledge.
Second, when you use social media to find out more details on your employment candidate, chances are good that you may discover protected information. Poking around someone’s MySpace profile may reveal information such as the person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, or details about a disability they may have. This is dangerous territory. You could find yourself in a discrimination lawsuit if the job candidate feels you used such information as part of your decision not to hire them.
| Percent of recruiters and HR professionals who use these types of sites when researching applicants | |
| Search engines | 78% |
| Social networking sites | 63% |
| Photo and video sharing sites | 59% |
| Professional and business networking sites | 57% |
| Personal Web sites | 48% |
| Blogs | 46% |
| News sharing sites (e.g. Twitter) | 41% |
| Online forums and communities | 34% |
| Virtual world sites | 32% |
| Web sites that aggregate personal information | 32% |
| Online gaming sites | 27% |
| Professional background checking services | 27% |
| Classifieds and auction sites | 25% |
| None of these | 25% |
Finally, employers need to consider the validity of online information. Is the Joe Schmoe you checked out on LinkedIn the same Joe Schmoe you interviewed, or just someone with the same name? Could the negative information you found online have been placed by someone other than the candidate in an attempt to hurt them? Also consider the opposite and question positive information. Is this super-star award information in your candidates online profile accurate or just an individual showing off?
The pitfalls of using social media to investigate a candidate are many, and the benefit is limited. Talk to your employer’s Human Resources manager and your legal counsel to determine your own preferred policies before doing so.
This blog was shared by Grace Hill to be included in Multifamily Insiders Apartment Jobs section.
