Facebook and Twitter aren’t just used for sharing GIFs and videos of your pets. In today’s society, social media is also used to land the right career. Many employers rely on such profiles (including LinkedIn) to recruit potential talent. However, if you are using social media platforms to narrow down your employee search, be wary of false first impressions and how they can affect the on-boarding process:
Not always reliable
Today, it’s not uncommon for famous brands to get hacked. And employers can never be 100 certain when comments and content posted to a candidate’s wall is authentic. Unless a potential employee provides links to all of their social media accounts, there is potential for employers to find an impostor account. There’s also the possibility of misconstruing pictures and other information posted when content is posted by someone with a similar name.
Could raise equal employment opportunity concerns
If a candidate doesn’t have a social media presence, could it affect their chances of being interviewed? While this shouldn’t affect the process, it’s hard to control perceptions in today’s modern world. There’s also the concern for arguing discrimination if information such as age, race, and gender are revealed.
What it comes down to is that social media should only be a small part of the pre-screening process. Other screening processes should be conducted such as criminal background check and reference check to see the full picture rather than just part of it.
Looking for more tips to find the best talent? Madison Approach Staffing is a staffing agency in White Plains, NY. We are ready and available to help make your next hire great! To learn more, call 914-428-4800 or visit us on the web.
