Is your facebook profile costing you jobs?

[AccountingDrone]

even if it involved getting completely plastered and dancing on coffee tables naked. (It doesn't.) As long as I show up to work clothed, sober, and professional it shouldn't matter. That's the only part of my life my boss is in charge of.

But it works for Tony Bourdain .... I pity his liver

[Iris Kojiro]

That was one of the reasons why I got rid of my MySpace. Not that I had anything incriminating on my page, but I figure that if it's going to be a potential burden in regards to getting jobs, I'll just get rid of it.

[telecom_goddess]

But it works for Tony Bourdain .... I pity his liver

LOL that's so true. I really can't figure out how he can eat all that stuff he does and drink all that he does and not be HUUUUUUUUUUGE.

I respect him though cause he eats anything without fear.

Sorry off topic there but I am a fan of that man

[MrTim]

<Putting on CEO hat>I completely agree, when we are in the process of hiring someone we do check facebook etc. and do Google searches, for exactly the reasons you stated. And yes some people weren't hired because of the things we found. Online checks are one of the many tools we have to use to cut through the huge stack of applications we get, when we look for a new employee. Some weird party pictures from your last holiday? Who cares! Daily pictures showing you drunk? Um, not something we look for in a driver.
When we do these checks the person has already been shortlisted in our hiring process, the others didn't make it for reasons like too many spelling mistakes, or dog ears, or wrong qualifications, or whatever. Hiring is never fair, sometimes it's just luck.</Removing CEO hat>

Absolutely terrifying. The whole reason why I posted my story was to show that social networking look ups are not always correct or accurate. If you make a decision based on them, you are assuming that the profile is fact. If you see a picture of a person who appears drunk, does that mean they are an alcoholic? I never knew a picture can be an accurate way to determine a Blood Alcohol Level. Does their DMV record show any DUI/DWI's ?

Now, if you want to base your decisions on assumptions or guesses - hey, whatever flips your noodle. Me? I like established, relevant, accurate, FACTS.

[Andara Bledin]

If you see a picture of a person who appears drunk, does that mean they are an alcoholic? I never knew a picture can be an accurate way to determine a Blood Alcohol Level. Does their DMV record show any DUI/DWI's ?

The fact that someone has a picture of themselves with their name attached to it where they appear to be shitfaced drunk on what is essentially a public portal shows a certain lack of discretion on the part of the person pictured.

Same for racy photographs (another failbook pic shows a shot of someone's manager who left her racy lingerie shot open to her friends after friending several of her subordinates) or drug use shots, or anything else that could be incriminating.

The Internet is (in some ways) eternal. Don't post it if you don't want a potential boss, co-worker, lover, mate, etc seeing it and judging you by it.

Things that other people post are a bit more difficult to deal with, but you can still un-tag yourself and delete comments on your own wall if it comes down to it.

^-.-^

[crazylegs]

Remember folks - only put something on the internet if you wouldn't mind it painted on the side of your house.

[BeeMused]

If you see a picture of a person who appears drunk, does that mean they are an alcoholic?

One picture alone isn't enough. But a whole series? And the overall impression the facebook page gives...

When I have the choice between several potential employees, a page like that can make a difference. Unfair? Perhaps, but how do you make decissions, when you have 500+ applications for one job? How do you find the 5 - 10 people you'd want to invite for an interview? 450 are rejected for formal reasons, like dog ears or spelling or other things, that still leaves you with 50 applications who now get checked some more. And yes... a facebook profile will be looked at. Inappropriate things will put that application on the "no" stack.

Like it or not, HR is using the internet just like everyone else.

[MrTim]

One picture alone isn't enough. But a whole series? And the overall impression the facebook page gives...
...Like it or not, HR is using the internet just like everyone else.

Again, a picture does not state a fact. While it may be obvious or apparent, it is just that - a picture. I have a picture of myself on the moon, does that mean I was actually there? No, just me being silly on photoshop. And I also noticed that you mentioned, "Dog ears?"

450 are rejected for formal reasons, like dog ears or spelling or other things, that still leaves you with 50 applications who now get checked some more.

Do you mean someone had a picture and it looked like they had a pair of false ears on or something? Does that mean that you would rule out a potential employee by appearance alone? According to your post, you check Facebook before you meet the potential candidate. Am I reading that wrong?

I guess I just will never follow that type of Human resource tactic. I judge people on their skills and merit, not their physical appearance.
What people do in their personal lives is none of my business, and as long as it doesn't affect their work, it is fine with me.

The fact that someone has a picture of themselves with their name attached to it where they appear to be shitfaced drunk on what is essentially a public portal shows a certain lack of discretion on the part of the person pictured.

So since they appear to be drunk, that is a proven fact? No, it's not. I can make all sorts of assumptions, but I am just a stickler for facts.
Now if I checked the person's criminal record and it shows 2 DUI/DWI's and they are applying for a position that requires driving, they will no longer be eligible for the job.

I swear I am not trying to be difficult, but I am a firm believer in facts. Go back to my story - this kind of thing happened to me, that is why I get so bothered when HR people use social networking sites as a form of research.

It was mentioned before that it was not fair and I agree completely on that. It was not fair that an HR lady discriminated against me with no facts whatsoever, but life is not fair.
I think I made my point, I won't post on this thread again.

[crazylegs]

Do you mean someone had a picture and it looked like they had a pair of false ears on or something?

I think he means CVs or applications that are bent over at the corner, or otherwise scruffy in appearance.

[BeeMused]

I think she means CVs or applications that are bent over at the corner, or otherwise scruffy in appearance.

(Corrected... I really think we need a flag or somesuch to indicate gender.)

Yep, I ment that. Sorry, I thought dog ears was a common idiom.

According to your post, you check Facebook before you meet the potential candidate. Am I reading that wrong?

Yes, almost all checking of a candidate is done before the interview, this is common practice in Germany. Only very few people get an interview. You have about a minute or so to convince the HR guys that your application is worth a closer look, so the cover letter/email is very important, the first impression counts. If an application has made that hurdle, the letters of reference etc. get looked at. Calling a former employer isn't very common here, so far we've never done that.
You seem to think that we go by Facebook/other things found on the internet alone, well of course not, it's only one of the factors.

[Andara Bledin]

So since they appear to be drunk, that is a proven fact? No, it's not. I can make all sorts of assumptions, but I am just a stickler for facts.

You're missing the forest for the trees.

It's not about whether or not they can do the job. There are 50 people available that are capable of doing the job. But you can only give the job to one of those people.

At that point, you have to start looking at intangibles and making decisions based on other factors. Maturity, professionalism, and how one presents one's self all come into play here.

If you post what look like they could be incriminating photos of your conduct in what is effectively a public place, it displays a certain level of immaturity that could be the deciding factor of whether or not you are in the 1% of total available applicants that get seen for an in-person interview.

Like it or lump it, that is the way of the hiring process, and it would be in a job-seeker's best interests to understand this.

^-.-^

[IvorTangrean]

I personally only use as a glorified address and date book. I have a few photos up up everything is friends only.

[ArenaBoy]

I keep my facebook and Twitter accounts private. More go given the nature of my work as I work in marketing.

However, what one does outside of work, as long as it's not affecting them to the point that it's affecting their work is not my business. And yes there is a possibility of a misunderstanding like that one poster illustrated. The problem with social networking sites is that they are becoming the norms for first impressions and that's a bad thing.

[r2cagle]

I've been following this thread, and I can see both sides. A 'fair' employee will not use found internet information alone as the deciding factor to hire someone or not. An unfair, lousy employer will get bent out of shape over the silliest things.

A smart employee understands that their behavior 'can be' a reflection of the company they work for and cause a bad impression to strangers. A not so smart employee forgets that there are witnesses everywhere, and not just what you yourself put on the web.

I work for a company that has reminded us that we need to be careful what we say and how we say it, as they consider us the face of the company. And I do have my boss' wife as a fb friend, so I stay conscious of not saying or typing something stupid either. It's also the reason I didn't really use a logon name different than my real name. They could find me if they wanted... lol. So, I hope I never write anything I can be sued for... lol.

It sucks that more companies cannot be trustful of their employees, but then as alot of stories here have shown, we often work with pretty dumb people.

[werewolffan98]

I'm on facebook as well and i belong to various groups in it,like Second Life DJ'S,musicians,and other groups and i have been announcing my grand opening of a club i have in Second life,and most of my profile is set to private. Because the avatar pic i use is a fox fursona.