Looking for a job? Be careful what you post to Facebook
A word of warning to those about to upload Facebook pics of you half-naked and drinking with friends: don’t.
A word of warning to job hunters about to upload partying pics to Facebook: don’t.
Results from a new survey commissioned by online job site, CareerBuilder.com, found 22 percent of 3,169 U.S.-based hiring managers screen potential employees via social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.
In fact, the number of hiring managers who visit a prospect’s profile page has doubled since 2006, when 11 percent of those surveyed admitted to peeking at someone’s social networking profile before hiring them.
The concern is seeing unprofessional or inappropriate behaviour, such as excessive drinking, drug use or promiscuity.
The survey also found 34 percent of the managers who do screen candidates did indeed find content that made them drop the candidate as a consideration for the job.
So, what kind of pics do YOU have on your Facebook profile page?
We have been warned that employers look at myspace and facebook for sometime. I suggest you either A) put your profile on high security in the case of facebook. B) Or save those drunken night pics for your cellphone and digi cams only!
I'm glad they do this. Hopefully all the losers using facebook will realize not to post up pictures of their whole life.
I have been a supervisor, who hires employees, for over 10 years.
What you wear, what you say, what you do, that is in person at the interview, and DEFINITELY on any type of application like Facebook, can be taken into serious consideration.
For many young people, and nowadays, older employees who want to be seen fitting in with the younger crowd, Facebook is the NOW thing to do.
It is the fastest, "15 minutes of fame", that is instantaneous, and in-your-face. People don't think long-term, when they do this. They don't think that millions of people around the world, and here in their world, can see their silliness, for other than what it is.
It use to be the office party. Now the party comes to them, and has a much larger audience. BEFORE you post, THINK….AFORE you post, may close the door….to your future that is!!!!
Neus
Um, if you're not a moron, you can post whatever the hell you want on your social networking profiles, as the proper security settings will control who can and cannot see the content of your page. No one but people I personally accept as friends can see any of the content I have on Facebook, so I can post whatever the hell I want worry-free, and thus, I share all aspects of my life on Facebook, which is the point of it. If you're stupid enough to post inappropriate pictures while not securing your site, as an employer, I would drop you as a candidate not because of the content of your site but rather because you're too stupid to figure out how to protect it! I would happily hire someone with an active social life seeing I have one, too…getting drunk on a Saturday is hardly a reason not to hire someone, and a social person makes for a good colleague, but someone not savy enough to protect a profile evidenly would not measure up to intelligence qualifications ;)
Again, people who think they can post whatever they want while putting their profile to private seem to not understand the risk of having others still see their pics. You can't control what your friends are posting and what security settings they use.
Reading some of your comments blows me away, especially when I read that employers shouldn't invade your "privacy".
That is the entire point…what is posted on the internet is NOT private. As I've admitted to my highschool students, I was no angel when i was their age, but they'll never find an online archive of my social life from back then!
Not just employers, but scholarship committees, and some university admissions staff check social networking sites as well.
I see both sides to this but I'm going to comment on the side of the potential employee. If there's photos that show you smoking weed, passed out drunk somewhere or too provocative then that may be a problem and you should consider removing the photos or remove the tags. On the other hand, if there's a photo of you with a drink in your hand, and you don't look drunk or sleezy, then what is the problem with having that posted on your profile? Isn't it everyone's right to do what they want outside of work (if it doesn't effect their job at all)?
I have a photo of me holding a drink and smiling, then another one of my friend and I dancing (nothing provocative or anything…just us smiling and spinning each other around) at my 30th birthday party and if an employer was to look at it and say "I'm not hiring her because of these 2 photos" then I have a problem with that because I RARELY drink at all. It's been 2 years since I've even had a drink because I don't keep alcohol in my house, I don't go out to restaurants and have a drink and I just don't like partying (at bars or other peoples' homes) but my 30th was a surprise so I had several drinks, had a nice glow and a good time but it wasn't excessive AND my 30th was spent with 5 of my closest friends and my family. If an employer didn't hire me because of the photos, he/she would be passing judgement for something that's done very rarely and not knowing the whole story and that really wouldn't be fair to myself, or the employer, because I'm losing out on a great job and they're losing out on a great employee.
I understand that most employers have an image to uphold and if an employee has a lot of photos that are offensive or provocative, then yes, it could be a problem with getting the job. But the one thing that employers should look at if they're going to hire based on peoples' profiles is how many photos there are with the same theme, and take a look at the clothes that these potential employees are wearing in the photos. If they're dressed in the same clothes for all of the photos then more than likely the pics were taken all the same night (unless they wear the same thing every time they go out, which is highly unlikely…lol), whereas if they're dressed in different clothes on each photo, then maybe they do party too much (and that's just a MAYBE). Also most photos people have the dates as a reminder of a good time so take a look at that. There could be 70 photos of people partying and the dates are over a 5 year range. People can physically change a lot in that 5 year span but some people will look the same today as 5 years ago. Also people can change and grow a lot in a short time span so these things need to be taken into consideration as well. Things should be done on an individual basis. Usually during the interview process, if you ask the right questions, you'll be able to figure out what type of person you're interviewing and that's also what resumes and references are for, to see what kind of people they were at their last job and to see how many jobs they've had and how long they worked at each job.
So people that have quetionable photos on your profile, consider removing them and employers, try not to pass judgement on everyone and try to hire/not hire potential employees on an indiviual basis if you're going use their profiles for your decision.
it is all about representation…If you you choose to do things that are not appropriate and have the pics on facebook, then you choose that. Also employers want to have someone who represents their company and values, so I think it is good for them to look in other places other the the 3 friends that you gave them to talk the world of you…..if you have pictures, groups walls…..ect that are rude and dirty and it does not fit what the employer is looking for and you loose a job because of that then it is only 1 persons fault…YOURS
If I were hiring someone to look after my children or my elderly and/or disabled grandparents I would for sure check these potential employees out on facebook. I want to know who I am putting the care of my loved ones into and to whom will I be paying. The same goes if I owned a business, I want to double-check on these candidates. Isn't it my right to do so?
Just DON'T use Facebook. It seems to create MORE problems then it actually SOLVES. Pointless, just because your friends joined. What? You never talked to them before facebook?
*Delete Facebook.*
Isn't this breaking laws…
And how about we check out hiring managers, employers and other managers before applying..
I honestly believe this is against the 5 amendment and more.
if you have a block on your profille how do they see it?
It's funny how we can be told to keep our personal lifes out of the workplace, so we do. Then somehow were judged for how we are out of the workplace and not considered for a job because of it. People can be different when they are put in workplace settings compared to being out enjoying their personal lifes and being who they are.
first off i'm not an employer, but i am a full time employee doing my 9-5 daily penance. and i have this to say to those who think that what we do outside of work doesn't affect a prospective employer's view point.
I agree to a large extent our personal life is private. but when someone is thinking about hiring you, they need to feel at least on some level you could be a trustworthy, dependable employee. And yes, most of us like those drinks on fri, and sat. nights, and it would be great if we didn't live in a judgmental society. but the truth is we do, so this employer will automatically think we are booze hounds who can't say no to a drink, and that they may automatically question our sense of judgment and social graces. how could they trust us to hob nob with dignitaries at a gala event for work for example, if they might think we'll drink too much, embarrass ourselves, and more importantly disgrace the company? and when you have to call in sick on a monday morning, they automatically think you're probably nursing a hangover as oppose to be legitimately sick (cold, extreme migraine, etc.) these are but a couple small examples of how our personal lives can inadvertently affect our working lives. think about it.
I agree with KR. What you do on the weekend is none of your employers business. It would be ethically wrong for an employer to fire you due to some pictures
of you partying on a weekend. Its even worse when a potential employer won't hire you based on those same pictures. If you have good references, a solid resume, and you interviewed well, then it shouldn't matter what pictures you post. If you were able to keep a previous job with no complaints, then why wouldn't you be able to work just as hard in the new one? Because you like to cut loose and have a good time on the weekend? Please….
As for shelag's comment above mine. Most professional mature people will know to behave themselves at a corporate event. You have to have a certain level of maturity to get a meaningful job at a company big enough to host gala's and parties. If the employer is concerned about excessive drinking then they could have a liqour free gala, or a cash bar as opposed to an open bar. I'm sure that's the last thing on an employer's mind when they do their hiring. Shouldn't they be more concerned with whether or not you have the skills and education and experience to do the job than worry about your behaviour at corporate events that have yet to pass?
And lastly, I don't have Facebook, because it is an intrusive site and I like being anonymous. Facebook has ruined lives socially, romantically, and now it is ruining careers. It is the tool of the "Nazi Fascist" American governement used to spy on the general American public and the world. Just remember next time you log in that "Big Brother" is watching…
uh, all you have to do is set your privacy settings so that you are no open to the world. Only "friends" can see your whole profile
To IBeesWeez. i'm on facebook, my privacy settings are very high, only avail to friends, not even friends of friends. the problem is ppl tag you in photos and videos…if you have over 200 facebook friends like myself, it's hard to keep track of all the ppl that might have you on film at various parties, clubs. things can get out of hand in a hurry with so many friends tagging you all over the place.
This is ridiculous. So, if you drink, you are not a good canditate? or if you do weed? or if you are seen having fun with your friends? how ridiculous. It's another way for society to make us conform to non individuality. I can see no harm in those types of shots. I mean age makes a difference too. If you are a teen, then it's normal behavior to be seen partying with friends. How can society judge someone by a photo. Maybe by the groups they belong to? but a photo…that way too ridiculous…I think we have a case AGAINST employers.
Julianne hit it on the head. great post.
i agree with Shelagh. My aunt is an employer and she is a very conservative, old fashioned kind of lady. She regularly checks on people who apply for positions, to see if their names come up on Facebook or MySpace. She is technically savvy to do these checks. Anyway, the point is, you don't necessarily know your employer's criteria of what would make a good employee in their mind for their company. In a lot of companies, reputation is everything. They want people representing them who live (at least on paper) moral, law abiding lives. Not snorting coke at a party and having their buddies post the evidence online). What you do privately is your business. But everything you post whether it be your written words, or pics, have a tendency of haunting people later on. You should post with discretion lest face the consequences of not getting that dream job. and unless you live in a vacuum, or in an island of one person, you have to learn the survival basics to co-exist with other people so that it doesn't prevent you from getting ahead. And yes, it's unfortunate, but true, that society is judgmental and do hold things against people because of their personal activities.