Does HR look at Facebook?
Employers can and do check out potential employees' Facebook profiles if they can get access to them
. Some 56 percent of employers said they were likely to look at the social media presence of potential employees before hiring them, according to a study from British business psychology firm OPP.
Do employers look at Facebook when hiring?
While it's important to check every account, there are some platforms hiring managers are more likely to check, such as LinkedIn. “
The three main platforms that most employers check are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
,” said Matt Erhard, managing partner of Summit Search Group.
You may be thinking: “Do employers check social media accounts? For real?” The answer? Absolutely. A study found that
67% of employers screen job candidates through social networks
.
What can potential employers see on Facebook?
An employer goes onto Facebook. Search up the name of the applicant you're looking for. Find that person's profile (based on name, photo, location, etc)
Browse around their profile and look for any potential red flags
.
Is social media screening legal? The short answer:
Yes, BUT it has to be done correctly
. If you're tasked with making hiring decisions and you decide to look at an applicant's social media activity on your own, you're opening yourself up to potential problems (such as discrimination lawsuits).
Social media is used by potential employers to check job applicants' qualifications, assess their professionalism and trustworthiness, reveal negative attributes, determine whether they post any problematic content and even assess “fit.”
Are you
articulate, intelligent, and friendly, or are you argumentative, belligerent, and foul-mouthed?
Most importantly, employers want to see if the information you've listed about your education, experience and previous jobs matches up with what you listed in your resume.
Why employers should not view Facebook profiles?
An employer who looks at an applicant's Facebook page or other social media posts could well learn information that it isn't entitled to have or consider during the hiring process. This
can lead to illegal discrimination claims
.
Can employers look at your private Facebook?
While it is possible to make your Facebook page private, some employers may attempt to connect to your profile with a friend request. However,
employers can't typically see your private profile if you don't accept the request
.
How do I hide my Facebook from employers?
How far back can a Social Media Background Check Go? Social Media Screening generally goes by the same guidelines as the FCRA, but one of the main differences is the length of time you can go back and search profiles. In Social Media Screening – you can only go back
7 years
.
Can employers see my private Instagram?
This is incredibly risky.
One quick look at an applicant's Instagram account or any other profile can reveal all kinds of personal information, such as their sexual orientation or religion
. This can open your company up to discrimination lawsuits if the candidate does not end up getting the job.
Hiring and Screening Candidates on Social Media
A survey conducted in 2020 of 1005 hiring decision-makers by the Harris poll found that
67%
of employers use social media sites to research potential job candidates.
Can employers look at your private messages?
Employers are free to monitor these communications, as long as there's a valid business purpose for doing so
. Many companies reinforce this right by giving employees written notice (for example, in an employee handbook) that their work email isn't private and that the company is monitoring these messages.
Depending on what hiring managers discover, the study revealed,
candidates' online material can hinder or assist their chances of finding employment
. Forty-eight percent of hiring managers who look at candidates' social media profiles said they've discovered information that caused them to reject a candidate.
Interviews don't start with firm handshakes anymore. They start with Google and Facebook searches. Social media has been around for more than 10 years (Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, etc), and
professionals still post inappropriate and irrelevant information that compromises their chance of getting an interview
.
Can your employer fire you for Facebook?
Can employers hack your Facebook?
Normally an employer who logs into your Facebook or Google+ account to peruse your private messages, photos, and wall posts would be violating federal computer hacking laws.
Unless, of course, you give them permission
.
Can Facebook jobs see my profile?
Just because you've set your account to the highest level of privacy,
it won't mean there'll be absolutely no chance of a potential employer getting access to your Facebook profile
. If a recruiter who's considering you for a role knows one of your Facebook friends, she could quite easily get access to your pages.
How Social Media Can Help You Get the Job. Many employers will look for applicants with a professional online presence, including
information about their education and current and past employment that supports statements made in their resume
.
While many employers use social media as part of an overall background check,
it's best to leave background screening, including social media searches, to the professionals such as Barada Associates
. The associates at Barada can protect hiring managers and their company from any legal risks.
Bottom line:
a compliant social media screening is legal
, and you should consider it an extension of the traditional background screening process.
Why employers should not view Facebook profiles?
An employer who looks at an applicant's Facebook page or other social media posts could well learn information that it isn't entitled to have or consider during the hiring process. This
can lead to illegal discrimination claims
.
