Yesterday we looked at some research about how employers feel about a candidate’s social media presence. Today, we take look at how the candidate uses social media, plus some tips on how to conduct a good screening with social media.
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Anyone Can Screen or Be Screened
It’s not just potential employees who should keep their digital tracks clean. Forty-one percent of employers say they use social networking sites to research current employees, nearly a third (32%) use search engines to check up on current employees, and more than one in four (26%) have found content online that has caused them to reprimand or fire an employee.
Further, a separate survey found that some savvy jobseekers are using social media to their own benefit. Nearly one-fifth of workers (18%) check out hiring managers on social media when job hunting.
Tips for Screening with Social Media
The number one tip for hiring with social media, from a legal standpoint, involves using a non-decision maker to conduct these searches. The searcher should be trained to:
- Avoid improper access to social media.
- Screen out any information that cannot lawfully be considered in the decision-making process.
- “Scrub” the information and provide the decision maker with job-related information only.
Additionally, you might want to consider getting consent from applicants so that they are provided notice that the information they post on social networking sites may be reviewed by the potential employer.
Finally, employer should be aware that while it may not be an invasion of privacy to access an employee’s public social networking site, actions taken based on the information on the site may lead to liability under other legal theories.