We’ve heard many stories about companies looking at potential hires’ social media accounts as a means to “check out” the candidate.
Do companies have the right to screen candidates through their profiles, whether they be Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn?
Some HR professionals are saying yes, as long as the process is done carefully. Viewing someone’s social media accounts can shed light on potential candidates.
In a time where social media has taken over, and the majority of job applicants have one account or another, it can be helpful in the recruiting process, when there is so much talent out in the job market.
However, discrimination is the key concern that comes when social media is involved. Posts and pictures that a potential candidate may post in his/her free time generally do not correlate to what kind of employee they will be in the workplace.
Viewing accounts provides employers with information they may not generally receive or obtain in a face-to-face interview.
An employer or job candidate looking at someone’s Facebook profile may not like what they see and therefore not conduct an interview. Had they not seen the profile, would the situation have been different? Who knows?
Few employers are demanding that applicants give them their passwords to their social media accounts because “it’s a terrible practice.”
While there may be some employers wanting to know everything about the candidates they are looking at, it all should come in good taste, without discrimination.
Be smart when social media comes into play!
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
