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Employment Background Check Services: Facebook’s Utility
Facebook and other online social networks are the sites of choice for those who wish to connect, communicate and share personal information. However, you need to be aware of the pitfalls of an online presence. The only aspects of our lives that are private, due to technology, are the aspects that we choose to keep private and take measures to do so. No matter your opinion on the use of social networking sites by employers and recruiters to “screen” potential employees, it is a popular and useful method enabling an additional “reference check” of your character and potential fit.
Individuals who post information about themselves on public web sites are doing so willingly and should willingly accept that those who receive their resumes are not prohibited from viewing their pages on social networking sites, nor are they prohibited from “googling” applicants. Privacy is becoming more about how much information we reveal rather than how easy it is to find it out. The practice of employers looking for background information about job candidates on social networking web sites is growing at an enormous rate. So much so, that there are advanced courses for recruiters on the effective use of Facebook for recruiting and background checks. There are ways to access an individual’s profile without being their friend, as well as numerous ways to “back door” a profile. Most recently we have seen the emergence of apps for free download or for purchase that navigate around Facebook’s privacy settings. It’s also crucial to remember that anything posted online can stay there forever, in some form or another. Anything associated with you or the people you are connected to can and more than likely will be viewed and possibly evaluated by people, many of whom may have influence over your being considered hireable or suitable for employment with a variety of organizations across sectors.
With the knowledge that the information about you on the internet may be used in an employment-related context, you may wish to be diligent in your reputation management mindfulness and techniques. Depending on what information is posted to your social media pages it could significantly harm, or help, your prospects.
Here are a Few Tips for Protecting Your Online Reputation:
Be mindful.
Think before posting – ask yourself if your post were read by your current employer would it be well received. Think of the future – is it likely that future employers would applaud your post; i.e., does it add value, show depth of critical thought, help and not harm your audience? Remember that nothing is private. Don’t post anything on your site(s) or your friends’ site(s) you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. This includes derogatory comments, revealing or risqué photos, foul language (including colloquial slang and misspellings of foul language) and lewd jokes.
Be discreet.
Most every job requires that an employee have some level of discernment, discretion and decision-making aptitude. What you choose to share can tell employers several things about your aptitude in these areas and more. Choose carefully what information you share about your work life and personal life, you should and ought not to be an open book on social media. Also, if your network offers the option, consider setting your profile to “private,” so that at least you are taking a first precaution in attempting to safeguard your information. Make those wanting to view your profile work a bit harder to gather the information they seek. And since you can’t control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the “block comments” feature. Remember, everything on the internet is archived, and there is no eraser.
Be prepared.
Check your profile daily to see what comments have been posted. Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you. If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, look into getting it removed and be sure you have an answer ready to counter or explain your “digital dirt.”
Whether you are an employer requiring employment background check services completed or are a jobseeker requiring advice on cleaning up your digital dirt, we can help! Give us a call today!
About the author
Tamsin is a senior manager at Hureco Maverick; she is also a coffee lover, cruciverbalist, altruist, and advocate for corporate social responsibility and volunteerism.