Opinion on checking social media presences for job applicants

Enrique Young Gnu

Enrique Young Gnu wrote: »

if i see list of pronouns/"activist" on twitter or prone to being "outraged" or looking to cancel/block things, id be staying well clear of that person

Define irony: cancelling the prospects of hiring a potential employee because they want things to be cancelled :pac:

touts

I'll be checking the social media profile of any applicant to me who did the Leaving Cert in 2021. If I find that they tweeted etc looking for the predicted grades easy way out there is no way I'll hire them. There is no predicted results in business. Deliver the work I pay you to do or **** off.

scamalert

As someone said its been done for quite few years now and tbf likes of facebook etc, give a good picture if person could be an issue or total tool for position whatever it might be.


one thing is to express your opinion etc, but $hitposting crap pics etc, is prob good way to see what some people are really like.


if you treat it as your own personal contact platform and private dont see a problem with that, if no common sense and being toll online for world to google you away in less then a min, then it says it all.

There is a huge number of people with purposely misspelled names or alternative spellings or just plain using using the incorrect name (mother's maiden name being a common one) to avoid the prying eyes of a) potential employers or b) revenue/the social try searching for them.

Mellisa, Nickola, Jamez etc

Cork Trucker

I got caught out once, it still follows me. In actual fact it was on this very site under a different username i got caught out

Kiith

I rarely use Facebook/Twitter/Instagram, but if i had an interviewer ask about something i posted on social media, i'd walk out. Absolute nonsense that some smart arse comment/offensive joke i tweeted 10 years ago for outrage purposes should stop you getting a job today.

It's basically HR backed Cancel Culture. And cancel culture is complete bs.

touts wrote: »

I'll be checking the social media profile of any applicant to me who did the Leaving Cert in 2021. If I find that they tweeted etc looking for the predicted grades easy way out there is no way I'll hire them. There is no predicted results in business. Deliver the work I pay you to do or **** off.

Who gives a flying **** what some 17 year old did on the leaving cert? Kids looking for an easy pass for an exam shouldn't make them ineligible for a job later in life. LC means absolutely nothing in the real world.

MrStuffins

Kiith wrote: »

I rarely use Facebook/Twitter/Instagram, but if i had an interviewer ask about something i posted on social media, i'd walk out. Absolute nonsense that some smart arse comment/offensive joke i tweeted 10 years ago for outrage purposes should stop you getting a job today.

It's basically HR backed Cancel Culture. And cancel culture is complete bs.

I think everyone agrees Cancel Culture is nonsense.

But I don't think we're talking about smart a*se comments.

I see people post outwardly racist and poisonous stuff daily.

If I was hiring someone and then I saw that they'd been posting racist, homophobic, Anti-Semitic or other discriminatory stuff, I wouldn't hire them.

Kiith

MrStuffins wrote: »

I think everyone agrees Cancel Culture is nonsense.

But I don't think we're talking about smart a*se comments.

I see people post outwardly racist and poisonous stuff daily.

If I was hiring someone and then I saw that they'd been posting racist, homophobic, Anti-Semitic or other discriminatory stuff, I wouldn't hire them.

Yeah, ok. I suppose i can't really argue with that.

I got all worked up for nothing :pac:

Invidious

Kiith wrote: »

I rarely use Facebook/Twitter/Instagram, but if i had an interviewer ask about something i posted on social media, i'd walk out. Absolute nonsense that some smart arse comment/offensive joke i tweeted 10 years ago for outrage purposes should stop you getting a job today.

Assume Joe has a history of posting offensive jokes about women online.

HR overlooks this and hires Joe anyway.

Joe proceeds to make offensive jokes/comments about women in the workplace, eventually leading complainant(s) to sue the company for sexual harassment, toxic work environment, etc.

Lawyers for the complainant(s) are able to point to Joe's social media history and show that the company was negligent in hiring him.

This is why interviewers are forced to care about your social media history.

MrStuffins

Invidious wrote: »

Assume Joe has a history of posting offensive jokes about women online.

HR overlooks this and hires Joe anyway.

Joe proceeds to make offensive jokes/comments about women in the workplace, eventually leading complainant(s) to sue the company for sexual harassment, toxic work environment, etc.

Lawyers for the complainant(s) are able to point to Joe's social media history and show that the company was negligent in hiring him.

This is why interviewers are forced to care about your social media history.

No doubt Joe would call this "Cancel Culture" when, in fact, it's just him being a pr*ck!

Right wingers on Facebook would rejoice. Joe would then start a Patreon and launch a podcast under the moniker "Snowflake Buster" or something.

Lmkrnr

If the person says they went to the school of hard knocks you need to be sure, or were they only part time when they said they were a full time mad basta*d.

Mister Vain

Where do you draw the line though? I've heard of companies in San Francisco binning peoples CV's because they had photos of messy bedrooms on their facebook pages. They see something like that and assume they must be disorganised. Trump supporters have run into problems too when applying for jobs.

Aceandstuff

Checking social media profiles is possibly the best way to vet job applicants these days, since a client or coworker could just as easily find the same information by doing a search of their own. I don't think anyone expects a prospective employer to know what a person is really like just from a CV and interview process, so looking at an online presence fills in some gaps. I mainly use Facebook and Twitter to enter competitions for free stuff and I don't post any photos of myself or life updates. I have an odd name and it would be all too easy to dox myself.

I definitely wouldn't hire one lad I know who posted hardcore porn to his Facebook wall a few years back. He would look great on paper, he has a better resumé than mine, but things like that are an indicator of how people conduct themselves in real life.
His attitudes to women and sex (which he is quite public about online) are probably why he can't get back into the tech industry of all things, especially since searching his name will bring up other people's social media posts on his sexual harassment/stalking incidents.

Without checking his social media, someone could hire him and end up with serious legal issues on their hands, or he might just start smoking pot in the server room again, who knows?

MrStuffins

Mister Vain wrote: »

Where do you draw the line though? I've heard of companies in San Francisco binning peoples CV's because they had photos of messy bedrooms on their facebook pages. They see something like that and assume they must be disorganised. Trump supporters have run into problems too when applying for jobs.

The line is illegal discrimination. That's it.

Other than that they can do what they want.

People don't get hired for a multitude of reasons.

Turn up to the interview looking sloppy? Not today son.

Swear in an interview? See ya!

Turn up smelling like a horse? Bye Felicia!

How about turning up wearing an unironed tshirt and a pair of shorts? They're also hiring down the road, why not try there?

It's up the company who they want to hire and why. As long as they're not breaking the law, it's not up to you to tell them otherwise!

touts

Kiith wrote: »

Who gives a flying **** what some 17 year old did on the leaving cert? Kids looking for an easy pass for an exam shouldn't make them ineligible for a job later in life. LC means absolutely nothing in the real world.

Character is set at that age and rarely changes. They have now learned that if they whinge and moan about stress and well being then they will get to avoid putting the work in. I wouldn't rule out employing one in the future but I'd want to see a track record of work and effort that shows they were not one of the thousands who copped out on this first real test in life.

mariaalice

They are not checking someone's long gone bebo page.

Are they who they say they are.

Do they have the qualification they say they have?

Have they ever done anything that could cause reputational damage to the company?

Is their financial situation so poor they might be compromised in some way?

Jim2007

Invidious wrote: »

I've seen those kinds of reports before.

My comments above were about social media, not other kinds of public information such as court records, etc.

These reports don't include information about non-public social media, such as Facebook posts shared with friends only, WhatsApp group postings, and the like.

There are several firms out there competing in this area and I have seen two that included everything they could possibly lay their hands on. It is anyone's guess what an individual report includes from the provider selected to the type of request made.

Mister Vain

Mister Vain wrote: »

Where do you draw the line though? I've heard of companies in San Francisco binning peoples CV's because they had photos of messy bedrooms on their facebook pages. They see something like that and assume they must be disorganised. Trump supporters have run into problems too when applying for jobs.

The messy bedrooms thing is basically made up nonsense......anything submitted without evidence can be similarly dismissed without evidence. Unless you can find a HR notice or policy outlining that they eliminate employees based on such criteria (and they'd be sued into oblivion if they did) then ignore it.

The same applies with Trump supporters. However, I've seen evidence of and spoken to people who feel they are being 'persecuted' for one thing, when the truth is they are facing the consequences of their own actions. It's almost always people on 'the right' but can apply to others on 'the left' as well. So, to expand on that part a little:

If Gina Carano says the Conservatives are being treated worse than the Jews, and gets fired, it's not because she's a Trump supporter. It's because she's acting against the Ts & Cs of her contract with Disney. Similarly, if Ebun Joseph says she's been kicked out of a shop for shouting and screaming at employees, it's not because she's black (no matter how much she claims), it's because she's being a dickhead and people don't have to put up with that.

The persecution complex is real. And it gets really old, really feckin quickly. Look at any video of G'OD and the Gemmaroids........"they're trying to silence us because we're speaking the truth"......no, love, they're trying to silence you cos you're causing a disturbance of the peace and won't STFU, now get that megaphone outta my face and get in the back of the maria van.

The supreme irony is that both sides hate the other side for doing it, while being oblivious to the fact that they do it themselves.

For Forks Sake

MrStuffins wrote: »

Far more people are disappearing off social media these days. They've seen what a cesspool of far-right bile and left-wing nonsense it has become.

I miss Bebo!

Good new for you so...

The J Stands for Jay

touts wrote: »

There is no predicted results in business.

The lack of a business plan is why you struggle to get finance

Eric Cartman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There is a huge number of people with purposely misspelled names or alternative spellings or just plain using using the incorrect name (mother's maiden name being a common one) to avoid the prying eyes of a) potential employers or b) revenue/the social try searching for them.

Mellisa, Nickola, Jamez etc

Or when women change their name to irish during periods of sleeping around to stop one night stands finding them.

AndrewJRenko

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Or when women change their name to irish during periods of sleeping around to stop one night stands finding them.

More likely just to stop you from finding them Eric.

screamer

People are so stupid with their personal information. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. They put it up voluntarily themselves, so have no one to blame but themselves.

Peregrinus

screamer wrote: »

People are so stupid with their personal information. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. They put it up voluntarily themselves, so have no one to blame but themselves.

Yeah, but that's partly the point. Stupidity goes with immaturity. Is it fair to penalise people, in employment terms, for things they did when they were young and stupid?

Mrs OBumble

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yeah, but that's partly the point. Stupidity goes with immaturity. Is it fair to penalise people, in employment terms, for things they did when they were young and stupid?

Yes. Past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour.

Eric Cartman

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yeah, but that's partly the point. Stupidity goes with immaturity. Is it fair to penalise people, in employment terms, for things they did when they were young and stupid?

It depends on what they did

Would it be fair to dump a cv because some you g lad was a goth and wore makeup when he was 16 - no

Would it he fair to dump a cv because someone had a few photos of themselves at a music festival when they were 20 and somebody is doing drugs in the picture - no

Would it be fair to dump a cv because somebody had pictures up of being involved in a combat 18 rally or antifa demonstration - absolutely

Would it he fair to dump a cv because somebody had pictures up or links to their onlyfans/ escort ireland page - absolutely

Would it be fair to dump a cv if someone who had pictures up from when they were 21+ with known criminals - absolutely

Peregrinus

Eric Cartman wrote: »

It depends on what they did

Would it be fair to dump a cv because some you g lad was a goth and wore makeup when he was 16 - no

Would it he fair to dump a cv because someone had a few photos of themselves at a music festival when they were 20 and somebody is doing drugs in the picture - no

Would it be fair to dump a cv because somebody had pictures up of being involved in a combat 18 rally or antifa demonstration - absolutely

Would it he fair to dump a cv because somebody had pictures up or links to their onlyfans/ escort ireland page - absolutely

Would it be fair to dump a cv if someone who had pictures up from when they were 21+ with known criminals - absolutely

I wouldn't disagree greatly. The thing is, is there any way we can make all employers adopt our standard of fairness? If they don't, is there any kind of protection or redress we can afford to people who are victimised, as we think, unfairly?

Invidious

Peregrinus wrote: »

Yeah, but that's partly the point. Stupidity goes with immaturity. Is it fair to penalise people, in employment terms, for things they did when they were young and stupid?

We all make mistakes in life, and young people are especially prone to them. But if someone goes on the job market today, with unvarnished youthful adventures still documented publicly in their social media accounts, that illustrates a distinct lack of judgement on the part of the candidate now, as well as the candidate then.

Any serious job seeker should go through their social media accounts and delete inappropriate or sexually suggestive pictures, foul language, images/references to drug use or heavy drinking, posts badmouthing previous employers, political rants, and so on.

Also, the personality that job candidates project online really matters. If someone's social media presence consists of moaning and complaining about every little thing, an employer will assume that they'll carry that same attitude into the workforce. On the contrary, if their social media shows that they have a positive attitude, can help and support others, and can solve problems, then social media can be a positive asset in a job search.

mariaalice

Invidious wrote: »

We all make mistakes in life, and young people are especially prone to them. But if someone goes on the job market today, with unvarnished youthful adventures still documented publicly in their social media accounts, that illustrates a distinct lack of judgement on the part of the candidate now, as well as the candidate then.

Any serious job seeker should go through their social media accounts and delete inappropriate or sexually suggestive pictures, foul language, images/references to drug use or heavy drinking, posts badmouthing previous employers, political rants, and so on.

Also, the personality that job candidates project online really matters. If someone's social media presence consists of moaning and complaining about every little thing, an employer will assume that they'll carry that same attitude into the workforce. On the contrary, if their social media shows that they have a positive attitude, can help and support others, and can solve problems, then social media can be a positive asset in a job search.

There is a lot of paranoia as well which is a pity, I know people who won't contribute to online to professional interests groups because they are convinced it will do them harm professionally, yet at the same time, they are a member and expect others to contribute information that they could benefit from.

Saying I rarely comment is not a sign of virtue.

Invidious

mariaalice wrote: »

There is a lot of paranoia as well which is a pity, I know people who won't contribute to online to professional interests groups because they are convinced it will do them harm professionally, yet at the same time, they are a member and expect others to contribute information that they could benefit from.

I don't see how contributing useful and beneficial information to a professional group could possibly harm anyone's job search? Quite the contrary.