Employers_and_Social_Networking

Employers and Social Networking Sites • May 26, 2010 • Cathy Herold Social Networking Sites and Employers - anitapatterson More and more companies research social networking sites of employees or prospective employees. Find out how online behavior affects employment. Many people assume what they post on social networking sites is private; however, more and more employers are screening potential employees and currently employed employees. Social Networking Sites and Job Applicants Job seekers need to be aware that many employers use social networking sites to screen job applicants. According to Heather Havenstein in the September 12, 2008 ComputerWorld article "One in Five Employers Uses Social Networks," a survey of 31,000 employers released by CareerBuilder revealed that one third of the job candidates considered for jobs were rejected because of information gleaned from social media. Then in June 2009 a CareerBuilder survey in the article "Screening Candidates via Social Networking Sites" stated that 45 percent of employers reported they used social media for screening job applicants. The statistics from 2008 to 2009 reveal the number of employers who use information from the Internet is steadily increasing. Employers peruse social networking sites of job applicants to check for unprofessional and immature online behavior. According to Havenstein, the CareerBuilder study suggests that people whose online images reveal drug and alcohol abuse are a major concern to companies that screen applicants using social media. Other online behavior employers are concerned about include inappropriate information and photos, poor communication skills, bad-mouthing employees and employers, inaccurate credentials, unprofessional screen names, information regarding criminal behavior, and the posting of confidential information about previous employers. Ads by Google Independent Broker-Dealer Autonomy You Desire. Service and Support You Deserve. Learn More! www.SagePointFinancial.com SAIC Smart People Solving Hard Problems Government Clearance Jobs! jobs.saic.com Social Networking Sites and Employees As the attraction to social networking sites increases, more and more employers are finding themselves in litigious situations as employees lash out publicly against companies, against other employees and against management personal. According to Stephanie Chan in a CNN May 10, 2012 article "Workplace Rants on Social Media are Headache for Companies," many employees do not realize that what they post on social media sites, whether it be from home or work, may be grounds for termination. Chan goes on to state that most states are "at-will employment states," which means employers can fire anyone for any reason except for work situations that have to do with federally protected issues like gender, race and religion. Many employers have fired people who have written negative status updates about their jobs. Derogatory comments by employees about other employees on social networking sites have also initiated harassment lawsuits, and employers are usually quick to step in and terminate perpetrators. People should be wary when making comments about their jobs on the Internet. Even though there are privacy settings on most social networking Web sites, it is never safe to assume that a comment will not be copied and pasted somewhere else on the Internet. Tenuous privacy settings on many social media sites make it easy for anyone to glean information about people. There are also several third-party information Web sites that collect personal information and pictures from people who use social network sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin and Twitter. READ THIS NEXT • How to Use Social Networking to Find a Job Fast • Social Networking or Career Suicide • Social Networking Websites Impact Job Searches Professional Appearance on Social Networking Sites Since information posted on the Web is so easily accessible to the public, people should make sure what they post online presents a professional appearance. People should also assume that what they are posting could possibly be seen by their employers or potential employers. People can make their online appearance work for them. According to CareerBuilder, many employers reported hiring people based on a professional online presence. To create a professional appearance online, people can post credentials, post awards, be creative and post solid communication skills about themselves on the Web. People who are actively looking for work should be especially cautious. CareerBuilder states there are five ways to clean up an online image: • Clean up or delete any information or photos that project a negative image. • Create a professional group on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Linkedin, and establish relationships with other professionals such as potential references and leaders. • Post positive statements, especially about accomplishments. • Be selective about choosing online friends. • Do not mention looking for other employment if currently employed. Social Networks and Employers People should be cautious about putting information on the Web, especially social networking sites. It is also important to maintain a positive and professional online behavior. People should always remember that information they post online is not secure and can be found easily by almost anyone, especially their future or current employers. References: Chan, Stephanie. "Workplace Rants on Social Media are Headache for Companies." CNN. (accessed May 25, 2010). Havenstein, Heather "One in Five Employers Uses Social Networks." ComputerWorld. (accessed May 25, 2010). Ads by Google Read more at Suite101: Employers and Social Networking Sites | Suite101.com http://www.suite101.com/content/employers-and-social-networking-sites-a237226#ixzz1YDb1WjEe I suppose the lesson here, like the lesson in so many of these stories, is to never assume that you're "too smart" or "too experienced with social media" to make a mistake or have a lapse in judgment. The casual nature that makes social media such an attractive form of communication is exactly what can make it so risky to use. In short, the moral of the story is to tweet with caution.