One in five bosses screen applicants' Web lives

[Farang]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200...vl73gFmKzB4utahHus0NUE

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Written references could become old hat for hiring managers with one in five saying they use social networking sites to research job candidates -- and a third of them dismissing the candidate after what they discover.

A survey by online job site CareerBuilder.com of 3,169 hiring managers found 22 percent of them screened potential staff via social networking profiles, up from 11 percent in 2006.

An additional nine percent said they don't currently use social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace to screen potential employees but they do plan to start.

The survey found that 34 percent of the managers who do screen candidates on the Internet found content that made them drop the candidate from any short list.

The top area for concern among the hiring managers with 41 percent citing this as a downfall were candidates posting information about drinking or using drugs.

The second area with 40 percent of concern were candidates posting provocative or inappropriate photographs or information.

Other areas of concern to arise from social network sites were poor communication skills, lying about qualifications, candidates using discriminatory remarks related to race, gender or religion, and an unprofessional screen name.

But the survey found hiring managers scouring social network pages was not all bad with 24 percent of these managers saying they found content to help them solidify their decision to hire that candidate.

Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included candidate's backgrounds supporting their qualifications for the job, proving they had good communications skills, and having a site that conveyed a professional image with a wide range of interests.

"Hiring managers are using the Internet to get a more well-rounded view of job candidates in terms of their skills, accomplishments and overall fit within the company," said CareerBuilder.com spokeswoman Rosemary Haefner in a statement.

"As a result, more job seekers are taking action to make their social networking profiles employer-friendly. Sixteen percent of workers who have social networking pages said they modified the content on their profile to convey a more professional image to potential employers."

But if my Facebook profile is private, how will they access it? In fact most people's facebook is private. Do they request you as a friend and if you don't accept you don't get the job or what?

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

This is not news. This is also a big reason I don't have facebook/myspace.

They might try to add you as a friend, but most likely just move on and try other means.

 

[mugs]

This is the one upside of using my middle name. I always thought my parents were stupid for giving me a first name that they had no intention of ever using, but if you search for that name (the name on my resume) you get nothing relevant.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
This is not news. This is also a big reason I don't have facebook/myspace.

They might try to add you as a friend, but most likely just move on and try other means.

It is important for me to have a facebook because I've got good friends all over the world that I want to keep in touch with since I travel a lot and run into them. But they're mostly vulgar drinking buddies so this can be a problem for me. Logically running through it I think I'm safe but if the fact that I don't add a friend disqualifies me I might have to get rid of it.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Private profile pretty much fixes that.

 

[Baked]

I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

 

[KaOTiK]

I don't have any of those social sites myself. Never could get into it. Hell my name is so extremely common it is nearly impossible for me to find any information that is actually of me.

One of my old bosses did use it for people though. Since our jump is very team orientated he would see how well the person would be able to mix in with the rest of the team and see what they actually thought on some issues.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

My name is phonetically the same as a big celebrity, and is only a few letters off. The one way I was able to find myself was using a different screen name, and it was an ex that put it up b/c she hated me. It got taken down, but wow is it a unique experience the first time you see yourself out on the internet.... lol

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

I can't find myself using google. I can find the facebook profile of another guy with the same name, though. And some high school football player with my name.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

My name is phonetically the same as a big celebrity, and is only a few letters off. The one way I was able to find myself was using a different screen name, and it was an ex that put it up b/c she hated me. It got taken down, but wow is it a unique experience the first time you see yourself out on the internet.... lol

Hello there Mr. Bolton

 

[cKGunslinger]

LOL

"I put a bunch of information on the World Wide Web, but it's OK - I marked it as 'private,' so I'm safe!"

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

My name is phonetically the same as a big celebrity, and is only a few letters off. The one way I was able to find myself was using a different screen name, and it was an ex that put it up b/c she hated me. It got taken down, but wow is it a unique experience the first time you see yourself out on the internet.... lol

Hello there Mr. Michael Bolton

fixed

 

[Gooberlx2]

Yup, I googled and searched myspace/facebook for each of our previous candidates for this last round of hiring.

 

[SirStev0]

One in Five bosses should be doing their job instead of lurking the internet. Maybe if they did their business would be doing better.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

My name is phonetically the same as a big celebrity, and is only a few letters off. The one way I was able to find myself was using a different screen name, and it was an ex that put it up b/c she hated me. It got taken down, but wow is it a unique experience the first time you see yourself out on the internet.... lol

Hello there Mr. Michael Bolton

fixed

I was leaving open the possibility that the first name was the one that was spelled differently.

Originally posted by: SirStev0
One in Five bosses should be doing their job instead of lurking the internet. Maybe if they did their business would be doing better.

They are. Job applicants tell their interviews what they think they want to hear. I think you'd get a much more accurate picture of a candidate by what they say candidly on the Internet.

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus

Originally posted by: Baked
I don't have any "social network" accounts. I can't find myself using google. /flex

My name is phonetically the same as a big celebrity, and is only a few letters off. The one way I was able to find myself was using a different screen name, and it was an ex that put it up b/c she hated me. It got taken down, but wow is it a unique experience the first time you see yourself out on the internet.... lol

Hello there Mr. Michael Bolton

fixed

I was leaving open the possibility that the first name was the one that was spelled differently.

Originally posted by: SirStev0
One in Five bosses should be doing their job instead of lurking the internet. Maybe if they did their business would be doing better.

They are. Job applicants tell their interviews what they think they want to hear. I think you'd get a much more accurate picture of a candidate by what they say candidly on the Internet.

Yeah because people who binge drink in college are going to be horrible employees.

The point is employers for hundreds of years have been hiring people without getting involved with their personal lives.

And there is no way that people who go out to the bars or smoke pot or post sexy pics are assuredly going to be bad employees.
And there is ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE that just because you don't have drinking pics on your myspace means that you are going to be a GOOD EMPLOYEE.

It is a problem with logic.

Not to mention, would you approve of a potential employee being denied employment because they have in their profiles that they are homosexual or devotedly Christian, or love the Terps?

Does any of this tell you anything about their ability to be a good employee? Nope.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger
LOL

"I put a bunch of information on the World Wide Web, but it's OK - I marked it as 'private,' so I'm safe!"

Pretty much how it works, unless someone is truly out to get you...

 

[robphelan]

not our company - we can barely spell some of the names of applicants we get.

it's funny, we have a bullpen where 4-6 Indians work. their nameplates are on the outside of the cube - every time I pass by and see the nameplates, I think I'm looking at a bowl of alphabet soup!

 

[onlyCOpunk]

They can see your profile if they use an account from the same social network, as far as facebook goes.

Just use a different email in your CV/resume and hope there is more then one of you out there.

Also a profile picture that doesn't show you taking that 2 story beer bong probably helps.

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: SirStev0
Yeah because people who binge drink in college are going to be horrible employees.

The point is employers for hundreds of years have been hiring people without getting involved with their personal lives.

And there is no way that people who go out to the bars or smoke pot or post sexy pics are assuredly going to be bad employees.
And there is ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE that just because you don't have drinking pics on your myspace means that you are going to be a GOOD EMPLOYEE.

It is a problem with logic.

Not to mention, would you approve of a potential employee being denied employment because they have in their profiles that they are homosexual or devotedly Christian, or love the Terps?

Does any of this tell you anything about their ability to be a good employee? Nope.

Although I agree there are no guarantees, the thing is there are plenty more qualified applicants than there are positions. People who have graduated in the last few years have similar resumes - school, a couple outside activities, a year or two of experience. Researching on the web is a way to help differentiate among candidates.

I've told this story before, but we vetoed one candidate for having this quote on his social networking page: "I love to party all night. If I have to sleep, I'll sleep at work." Most aren't as blatant, but when a candidate tells me that he volunteers at the food bank in his spare time, but his social networking page says that he did it twice before he quit going because the lady in charge was a PITA, well, I don't want any liars.

I don't care if someone has a drink. I do care if they portray themselves as regular binge drinkers, displaying poor judgment yet are proud enough of it to put it out there for the world to see. I don't want people who love their favorite band so much that they travel around the country to see them 25 times a year, because I know they are going to call in "sick" a lot or have to leave early for a "doctor's appointment". All those shows aren't on Saturday nights, and I know they can't afford plane fare to leave one day and be back the next. These people don't get hired.

Sure, it's possible I'll miss a great candidate. But like I said, there are lots of qualified candidates, and the research improves the odds I won't get someone who gives great interview but is not the person they claim to be.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
They can see your profile if they use an account from the same social network, as far as facebook goes.

Not true, most profiles are private for friends only

 

[TheVrolok]

That's impressive that some of you can't even find yourself with Google. A lot of the results for me on Google have nothing to do with information I voluntarily put out. A lot of it is award/honors announcements and garbage like that on school/work sites.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

The convenient thing for my dad is that a distant cousin of ours was far more famous. My dad has some articles with his name in them, and his former status as one of the bosses in his company gave him some presence. But our cousin went down on the titanic and founded a major company.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
The convenient thing for my dad is that a distant cousin of ours was far more famous. My dad has some articles with his name in them, and his former status as one of the bosses in his company gave him some presence. But our cousin went down on the titanic and founded a major company.

John Jacob Astor?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i hope my next potential employer confuses me for the high-falootin' microsoft lawyer of the same name