Social Media Sites Don’t Always Help with the Hiring Process
Social media sites are now for more than just staying in touch with friends and family online. Some employees are using these sites to show off their talents so recruiters can find them. In an ever-increasing Web-savvy pool of potentials, hiring managers have have to be cautious, however, when they explore candidates online. From LinkedIn and Facebook to MySpace and personal blogs, some HR professionals think they can get to know their candidates before they even walk in the door. But is that really what’s happening? Checking briefly for resume falsification is one thing that can be done preliminarily, thanks to some of these sites, but the information may not be truthful. Here are some of the various social media sites and why they aren’t always the best place to go to find out about your potential employees.
Though you can’t use LinkedIn to run a criminal background check, it is one way for to review a person’s claim to a degree, glancing at their references, and developing an idea of the type of work experience your candidate. With an easy-to-use interface, just about anyone can use LinkedIn; even those with little Internet experience. Hiring managers can now peer into a person’s professional life, read about what work experiences they have had that would help qualify them for the job, and view who recommends them. It’s also a great way for employees to stay in touch with former bosses and co-workers who are willing to be used as references. But do not rely on this site for verifying any type of information for hiring purposes. You never know what people are lying about online until you run a background check.
Facebook is something that is generally thought of for more personal use. However, some people are now using their Facebook page to announce their unemployed status and to connect with their friends who may know of an available job. This is a great way for job-seekers to stay connected with friends who they used to work with. For the hiring manager, you can get a general sense of a person by looking at what kind of comments they make on their wall as well as seeing what their interests are beyond the workplace. These bits of information impart a “real” feeling about the person; you’ll get to know who they are socially a little better with this site, but do not use this site as a basis for hiring. Facebook cannot reveal to you if the person’s name is correct, if they are who they say they are, etc. An employment background screening and a criminal background check are the only true ways to find out this information.
MySpace is a social media site that is definitely geared towards the younger crowd. For this reason, some people have actually been let go from their jobs for questionable content on their MySpace page. For people who choose to post naughty pictures or comments, etc., it makes seem very easy to make the decision not to hire them. However, take this with a grain of salt because sometimes people’s online identities can be stolen, accounts hacked into, or pictures/comments posted by someone other than the person on the account. It is important also to remember that applicants who take care in the image they present online may possibly be a good asset. However, again, don’t bank on MySpace to reveal truth about a person because information on these sites can be unreliable and untrue.
Nightmare stories of employees who post less-than-desirable photos of themselves abound. But in today’s world of Internet savvy, nearly limitless information, and ways to check for resume falsification and job experience, today’s world is a better one. Yesterday’s process of manually running a criminal background check and employment screening are over. Today, we thankfully have companies like Accu-Screen to help us receive the best employment verification possible.
Using social media sites instead of running an employment background screening is not a good idea and it never works well in the end. You need a service that can run a criminal background check on your applicant as well as check for resume falsification. Choose Accu-Screen every time and you’ll be sure to hire only the very best!
