Profiles on Social Networking Sites Prove Hazardous for Job Seekers

Employers look beyond the resume, letters of recommendations and other information when evaluating a prospective employee. More often employees simply click onto their computer and search prospective employees, candidates, job seekers, current employees or those seeking a promotion for profiles listed on social networking sites including 'Myspace' and 'Facebook': Essentially verify the credibility, ascertaining characteristics (Including music you listen to, video downloads, and pictures displayed), behavior, accessing personality or psyche, and conducing a background assessment including integrity.1 : Leading to or derailing a future interview or hiring an applicant. Besides information obtained could potentially lead to firing or disciplining an employee for unethical or inappropriate material (Including sexual explicit or vulgar stuff). Some companies have a strict standard code of ethics encompass profiles or materials placed on a social networking site.

Those who have a profile on a social networking site open the door way for anyone to view their profile or material, unless an option is available to have a private profile limited only to those who are invited to view. Consequentially when an employer finds a private profile of a prospective employee on a social networking site, uncertain how this may be construed: Employers may respect a persons' privacy or consider the candidate may be secretly hiding some information, could derail their interview, hiring or promotion.

According to 2006 After College Incorporated Survey of 750 employees: "Half of employees think information posted on social networking sites should be taken into account when making hiring decisions.." "About 37 percent says they wouldn't hire someone if they discovered something questionable about them." 3 According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) (2006): "Nearly 27 percent of employers say they check job candidates profiles on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook or use Google to search for online information on prospective employees.." 4 Reported in 2008, Badenoch & Clark (London based) leading recruitment firm routinely checks networking sites when recruiting thousands of professional staff in jobs every year, before considering an applicant for hiring. 5

Information that should be excluded or removed from a social networking profile: Adversely draw a red flag to a prospective employee, and raise serious ethical and legal grounds for dismal or reprimand:

1.) Sexual explicit information or pictures could be a red flag for an employer: "Employers aren't interested in hiring someone that is sexually promiscuous". This could potentially lead to unethical and legal sexual harassment in the work place and cost the employer legal charges. 2

2.) References to drug or alcohol usage or condoning such behavior should be excluded. Employers are not likely to hire a (past or current) alcoholic or substance abuser. This information should be kept off-line rather than to risk a prospective job background check on a public social network site. 2

3.) Racial and sexist comments should be excluded: Individual is not likely going to be accepted or get along well with other co-workers especially among other nationalities, heterosexuals, homosexuals, and may create an unhappy workplace environment. 2

4.) Political comments could exclude someone from being hired for a job or held back for a promotion, if the comments are contrary to the belief of the employer or management.

5.) Derogatory comments regarding a previous employer or co-workers could be a problem for future employment. If history was to be repeated again, an employer and co-workers would not like to be falsely represented or defamed on a social networking site.

6.) Revealing your affiliation and likes/ dislikes including a book you read, political party, and movies seen maybe interpreted favorably or unfavorably when a prospective employer reviews your profile on a social network web-site. 6

7.) Posting personal information of other people including previous co-workers and employers not approved for publication, could derail future employment or promotion: In the workplace confidential information should remain in the office, unless approved to be made public.

8.) When posting an E-mail address for corresponds, ensure it cast upon a professional or dignified allure, rather than a "too-cutesy name". 6

9.) Carefully review your profile for grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs. Poor communication skills (29%) will be a poor attribute upon review of a prospective employer. 7

Social networking sites have proven to be most useful to help find employment but information listed should be carefully reviewed especially personal information including those of other people (friends, associates, co-workers, and relatives). "Between 50 percent and 70 percent of jobs are discovered through networking, according to Granovetter's research. 3

References:

1.) Online: "Duffy" laundry on MySpace and Facebook can be a barrier to a Job - http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/technology/online-dutty-laundry-on-myspace-and-facebook-can-b.shtml

2.) Prospective Employers on MySpace: Your Profile Could Cost You a Job - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/69160/prospective_employers_on_myspace_your.html?cat=31

3.) A Job Seeker's Best Friend - http://www.courant.com/business/hc-socialnetworking.artjan05,0,6447112.story?track=rss

4.) Employers Check Social Networking Sites - http://hr.blr.com/news.aspx?id=18685

5.) Putting your boozy pictures on Facebook could cost you your next job, warns employers - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-512192/Putting-boozy-pictures-Facebook-cost-job-warn-employers.html

6.) Look Out: Your Future Boss May Be Checking Out Your MySpace Profile - http://www.vault.com/nr/newsmain.jsp?nr_page=3&ch_id=420&article_id=31464139

7.) Social Networks Can Ruin Your Job Potential - http://blog.pcpandora.com/2008/09/15/social-networks-can-ruin-your-job-potential/