Why It’s Bad Idea to Check a Job Applicant’s Facebook Profile

Interesting read.

Seems only fair that job applicants ask for, and check, the social media profiles of their potential employer, manager and coworkers. We all want to know the "real" people we'll spend so much time around, no? If we're going to claim to live in the "age of transparency" then it goes both ways. Otherwise, it's an oxymoron.

And I'm perfectly happy to explain why my #fb profile is private. I only use it for family. If they want to know the social me, check my, #in, #twitter and #googleplus profiles.

What happens when you tell them that you don't have a fb, twitter or any other social networking page for that matter? Don't put yourself out there in the name of socializing. When I want to see my friends I go to their homes or call them. What were companies doing before Facebook? Hiring of course.

While I understand that anything one posts online (through Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is in no way private, I disagree with the practice of using social media to screen potential employees. Unless your applicant has provided their FB page as a point of reference, why should you have a reason to look at it? Sure, it's there for anyone to see, but it's practically irrelevent. When you're viewing someone's social networking page, you're viewing just that--their social life. Some positions require employees to represent the company at all times; most do not. You wouldn't continue to introduce yourself as "Blank Blankerson from BlankCorp" while off the clock. Don't get me wrong... I know the dangers of hiring someone with a less-than-desirable background, but that's what professional references and pre-screening requirements are for. Don't want a drug user? Drug test. Don't want a habitual caller-outer? Check employment history. Don't want a former convict? Run a background check. Social media can be inaccurate and outdated, and could lead to your potentially passing up a perfectly qualified candidate.

I certainly see both sides to this discussion. We all have our 'silly' moments, and we all have had our dark moments. And we have all done things we regret later. Perhaps a disadvantage of. Social media is that every one sees everything , and make their judgements from that. Funny how we let some people in society do whatever they want publically, and then some poor struggling soul is just trying to make an honest dollar, and all their sins are published before them for the world to see. It makes you wonder if the person with the measuring stick can indeed measure up to their own ideals. No, I'm not looking for a job. I'm happily employed already. Perhaps giving someone the benefit of a doubt, or at least ask the right questions as the article states. I appreciate a great employee, I have a few of them. Best people for the job you can imagine. Their Facebook lives? I'm sure very colorful !

When you are at a company who has certain values it's not always easy to judge by interviewing a person. I've interviewed many who have said the right words gained my trust ect an have not been good employees. Where if I would have seen their personality thru social network that might have given me clues on what to expect. I'd also personally not want to hire someone who is constantly stressed out sick or who uses a lot of profanity ect. It's about your brand and how you represent yourself and ultimately how they will represent your company.

Actually, I intentionally leave the majority of my Facebook page public. My Facebook page is as blunt and honest as I am. I expect employers to look at my Facebook and LinkedIn pages. I want them to look at my pages. I want them to feel comfortable that I am the right person for the job and honestly I look at their social pages as well. I research a company as completely as possible before I take a position with them. People do have a right to privacy, but they are seriously misinformed if they think that a public forum such as a Facebook is in any way, shape, or form private. I wouldn't hire someone that had pictures of them performing illegal acts, making racist comments (potential HR nightmare), or acting in such a was as to negatively impact my business. Employees are a representation of the company 24X7 and not just 9-5.

In response to the comment posted above by "Joe." This is exactly the situation that the article is referencing. Just because a person posted that they called off work today because it was too nice out to work doesn't mean that it was not approved by their supervisor or that they did not take a vacation day. It is possible they called their boss and said "you remember that day off you promised me to make up for all those extra hours I worked last month? Can I take today to enjoy getting some yardwork done?" And, their boss allowed it because they are such a great worker. When people post on their social sites, they are not always thinking about how it may appear to others looking in. As a general manager myself, I am tempted at times to make these assumptions but reviewing that, I would contact their previous employers and question their work history. Or, in a follow-up interview... ask how many times they have called off work in the last 6 months and why? I see the point this article is making. Good food for thought.

If you want privacy, don't be on Facebook. Until then I think all employers should check social networking sites.

The above comments are generally appalling! Every citizen has a right to privacy and those who are in the position of "power" in the hiring process would be livid if the applicant asked them their life details -- but after all it is the applicant's right to know who they are working for also. Someplace along the line respect has gone by the wayside. And, yes, I have been on both sides of this issue so do understand all the challenges and ramifications. Get real, peope!

@Dave: Of course people have privacy rights. It's also THEIR right to make their FB private or public. If they make it public, how is it an invasion of their privacy for me to check it out?? If you are not smart enough to adjust your privacy settings appropriately, then I'm pretty sure that I don't want you working for me.

Dave, I'm quite surprised at the naivete of your comments. #1, if you post something on the internet IT IS NOT PRIVATE and IT WILL EXIST FOREVER. Even if you have strict privacy settings on your Facebook account, IT IS NOT PRIVATE. #2, unless a negative decision is made based on a legally protected class -- sex, race, religion, age, etc.-- IT IS NOT DISCRIMINATION. There is absolutely no legal basis for a discrimination claim if a person is passed over due to questionable facebook pictures and posts. I'm guessing you are new to the workforce. Understanding these two facts can only do good for your budding career.

How on earth would the applicant know that the interviewer looked at their facebook page. Obviously if the interviewer admitted to the applicant that "I saw some stuff on your facebook page that said that you....". Other than this, how else would the applicant even know to bring discrimination charges? Is there a way for the applicant to see the names of those who looked at their page. If there is, then I bet that would make some people look for discrimination possibilities after every single interview in the hopes of getting some easy "lawsuit" money by catching an unsuspecting employer who may be discriminating off of facebook information . I'm confused. Other than the employer admitting it, I just don't know how the applicant would ever know. Am I missing something.

I absolutely check all Facebook profiles for our future employees. Running a small business is tough enough these days. If a free service is available to investigate potential candidates why not use it? I am trusting employees with over a million dollars worth of cash and inventory in my business on a daily basis and I would like to know if the candidate has a gambling/drug/drinking/etc problem before it is too late. The most important thing I look for on these websites is the ability to properly speak and communicate with people. If the applicant can not properly form a sentence or is using many racial slurs and inappropriate language, they are obviously not the candidate for my company. Anyone who claims that this is discrimination and a breach of privacy obviously has never trusted a complete stranger with their money and brand image.

I have to say, that I'm appalled by the two comments above. Do you realize that people have privacy rights? That you can't ask an applicant about their weight, but now you can go out and discriminate on their Facebook page because they took the day off of work? Did it occur to you that they may have taken a vacation day? Is it any of your business? No. If they are at their desk, 9 to 5, then it is your business. If someone took a caffeine pill to stay awake because they helped out a friend in need, how does that go outside the drug testing? You test for drugs, not caffeine...then you might want to take away their right to have coffee too. I can't believe I'm reading some of this above. I hope that you enjoy an investigation of discrimination sometime soon. That's just nuts folks.

I would use every source available to evaluate a candidate, including Facebook, Google, Linked In, etc. I believe you hire a total PERSON, not just a job candidate. I also beleive it is the responsibility of the hiring company to use credit checks, crimianl records, driving records etc. to get a 360 view of the person. Not just the work history. If you are going to rely of the ability of a person to ask the "right"questions, interpret the answers and then rely on "professional" refernces provided by the candidate, you are not doing the company a true service.

I have looked at facebook and other public web sites in consideration of hiring. I have tossed a few applicants aside because they had posted on their site only a month prior that they were going to need several "yellow jackets" again today to get them through the work day after staying up all night to bail X ouf of jail. I don't want that drug problem in-house, let alone operating dangerous equipment.Another posting that sent their application to the circular file was a post that clearly stated "I called off work sick again today, its too nice outside to work." If that post would have said I took a day of vacation because it is too nice outside to work, I would not have given the post a second of concern. The aaplication would have stayed in the consideration pile.I look at public information to help make decisions in the same context that I look at corporation public information to make invest or not invest decisions. If it is set out by the owner of the information as public information and it is not an illegal consideration such as religion, it is fair game. I see it as my ethical responsibility to keep it reasonable and fair research work on learning about a canditdate. I have not looked for a job in years, but I never put anything in print, anywhere, that I feel would reflect badly on me if my grandmother, future kids or even future grandkids would read it.