More employees are asking for and viewing social networking sites of job applicants.
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June 19, 2009
Most employees like to get a clear picture of the person they are hiring. Lets face it most companies want to make sure they know what they are getting before they spend the time and resources to hire and train a person. Recently officials in Bozeman, Montana requested for all job applicants to turn over their usernames and password of all of their social networking sites as part of the background check. Is that crossing the line?
It’s no secret that the practice of checking out potential employees online is growing. It is estimated that at least one in five employers do an online check to see what social networks, blogs, internet based chat rooms and forums a potential candidate belongs to and what that person post while on the site. Even though there is the belief that you can’t believe everything on the Internet, many employers base their final hiring decision on what they see or read online. Some of those cautionary tales of jobs lost have even been posted as a warning to watch what is posted on sites such as Facebook, YouTube and MySpace.
There are some in the legal community that see this is as a violation of privacy. There is also concern that teenagers and college students may post remarks or racy pictures that will could hurt them later when they enter the job market. Many critics of the practice believe it is a way for employers to dig up “digital dirt” on potential employees. Employers such as city of Bozeman, Montana see it as an essential way to make sure that that the person applying isn’t hiding traits that may not be revealed in a standard job application.
According to a survey in September 2008 on CareerBuilder.com 22 percent of hiring managers were checking social networking sites of job candidates. Most were looking for indications that candidates lied about their qualifications, signs of drug and alcohol abuse, links to criminal behavior, discriminatory remarks, inappropriate pictures or information, bad-mouthing of previous employers or co-workers, disclosure of confidential information and poor communication skills. On the positive side, hiring managers also saw proof of qualifications, accolades, good references and communication skills on social networking sites. These positive aspects may even help boost a person’s chance of being hired.
So what is the lesson for job searchers when it comes to their online presence? It is first and foremost important to realize that anything on the Internet is not necessarily private and can be seen by anyone. Practice discretion when posting information, and pictures to any social networking site. It is also a good idea to make a profile private so friends can only view it. When job searching practice good online etiquette and make sure to keep all of the skeletons in the closet because like it or not more companies will be looking and judging.
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