Facebook: Should prospective employers/Universities check it? [ENDS 17/06/2012]

Facebook: Should prospective employers/Universities check it?
Ends: 17/06/2012

This is an issue that has been occuring more and more recently. Some companies, as well as educational institutions have been searching for the Facebook accounts of prospective employees/students and checking their timeline and more personal details about them. This in turn, has sparked quite a bit of controversy and debate.

On one hand, employers say this is important as it means that they can vet the best possible candidates for the required jobs, and that is necessary to take a look at a range of factors, including some information about the person themselves.

Others have been outraged. For example, there have been known cases where companies would not hire a female candidate who was pregnant after finding this out from their Faceboook. This means that it's pure and simple discrimination.

So, what do you think? Should these institutions be allowed to check Facebook or not?

I don't think they should be allowed to check it because everyone is entitled to a personal life and they're kind of invading it to see what you get up to in your normal life, but you could argue that it is beneficial for the employer to look at facebook to see what you're like in everyday life. I still don't think they should be allowed though!

I think if someone has their profile on public then they can't complain when it's viewed by potential employers/universities. Easiest way to get round it is not to have it on public view for everyone to see!

If someone makes their profile public, they have absolutely no right to moan when other people look, even prospective bosses!!

Facebook is meant to represent a private life, which should be separate from work. However, because an employer may see a new employee's facebook profile, and see pictures with the individual going 'crazy', they may get the wrong idea.

I think that people should make their profiles private, and if they desperately don't want to do that, untag pictures that are unsuitable and don't post rude/disparaging statuses. If someone posts 'I HATE WORK I'VE ONLY BEEN ONCE THIS WEEK CALLING IN SICK AGAIN LMFAO' (a post i saw the other day), an employer/potential employer may have a few questions raised. It's completely the fault of the owner of the profile.

I don't think employers should be looking at social networking sites to see what people are like. People do have a right to keep their personal life and their job life separate. But I do agree with the debate of if your Facebook page is public then it's your own fault because anyone in the world has a right to see what your posting.

I think they do, gives them more of an insight into their personality and behaviour out of work, which could affect how they work etc

I have a half and half view on this.

My friend, before she got into teaching, was a model in New York and an actor. Recently, some students at the school she works at found out the link to her modelling website. Luckily, she wasn't a 'nude model' but unfortunately they were just as close with the most explicit photo being one which she had just a towel round her. We never could trace back to the person who started this but Alison (friend) was absolutely distraught at the fact she may lose her job! This could've been helped if, for example, the senior management of that school had at least access to some information? For example links that are posted and just general statuses.

But that's where I also go against it. As others have said it is quite a problem in terms of privacy. Yeah, I am more towards it being wrong but it could help in some ways!

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Originally Posted by Skynus

I have a half and half view on this.

My friend, before she got into teaching, was a model in New York and an actor. Recently, some students at the school she works at found out the link to her modelling website. Luckily, she wasn't a 'nude model' but unfortunately they were just as close with the most explicit photo being one which she had just a towel round her. We never could trace back to the person who started this but Alison (friend) was absolutely distraught at the fact she may lose her job! This could've been helped if, for example, the senior management of that school had at least access to some information? For example links that are posted and just general statuses.

But that's where I also go against it. As others have said it is quite a problem in terms of privacy. Yeah, I am more towards it being wrong but it could help in some ways!

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I know what you mean with that. One of my old teachers was in a band when he was younger and someone found the link to his website, he had a few funny songs (when i say funny i mean, taken the wrong way - was called 'Boobies on the Beach' - about the birds rather than lady lumps) and everyone ended up teasing him so much, he ended up getting a warning from the headteacher for doing that, even though it was before he even worked there?

I think facebook is like a personal CV. For example, when there are people I don't know very well I often can gauge a good idea of what they're like, and whether i'll get on with them, by looking at their status', pictures and likes/pages. Universities want the smallest possible number of people dropping out and people have made their own facebook profile public by putting in on facebook, so basically I believe by having a facebook account you're inviting people, whether it be possible friends or future employers, to judge you based on that profile.

As others have already said, if people have not set their Facebook to private, they have to accept that anybody can look at it - even potential employers.

A girl I know was fired from Tesco (large supermarket in England) after they read her tweets about how boring work is. Did you know that Tesco actually have an internet team that is dedicated to reading tweets from employees, in my friend's case, a 16-year-old girl.

I have the same view as some of the others. I don't think they should be looking into their facebook and twitter etc as they're entitled to a personal life but if someone has got their profile set to public then they can't moan.
However, I think this would help employers/universities gain a better understanding of what their personality is like and what they like to do in their spare time and obviously if they're posting a new status every night they probably have a lot of time on their hands and sometimes people write about going out and getting drunk all the time and this could be good for universities/employers as they can see if the person is the right kind of person they're looking for to do the job or go to that university. Also, again the person can't moan if they post loads of stuff about getting drunk every night for example if their profile is set to public.
But then again, reading back on that it comes back to my other point that they are entitled to their own personal life and as long as it doesn't effect their behaviour at university or their job performance then it shouldn't matter and I don't think they shouldn't be judged for it.

Sometimes I worry about what I've put on the internet - things from many years ago that I've completely forgotten about could come back to haunt me one day. In this scenario, I don't think it's fair to be judged on what you did as a child...

The way a person is on Facebook can be entirely different to how they act and perform in real-life situations. It's easy to forget real problems whilst on social networking sites, and therefore the things posted can be completely out-of-character and inappropriate for a formal situation. Starting a new employment/education term commands a respect for one's superior and manager, and therefore the contents of a Facebook profile (particularly a refreshing alternative to the real person's attitude) should not be explored.
Asking the right questions during an interview to receive access to the institution will provide perfectly adequate answers that can be used to judge the ability and mindset of a prospective student/employee and so delving in to their personal, more private lives is intrusive and misdirecting.
For example, someone could be radically wild on Facebook, yet when working attain the highest levels of success and concentration. The decision whether their application will be accepted may be based on their online profile (a poor indicator of their work ethic) rather than the statistics gathered from past results etc.

Although, over time, if the relationship formed can become a casual (student-teacher relationships are not correct for this example) then the boss may feel a necessity to add their employee as a friend/follower/whatever in order to become closer to them; when the employment of the subject is assured.

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Originally Posted by Munex

Sometimes I worry about what I've put on the internet - things from many years ago that I've completely forgotten about could come back to haunt me one day. In this scenario, I don't think it's fair to be judged on what you did as a child...

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You could always delete those posts or create a new facebook account, that's what I've done. I always untag embarassing pictures too, mostly so my friends couldn't laugh at me but I'm glad after my boss added me xD

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Originally Posted by lawrawrrr

You could always delete those posts or create a new facebook account, that's what I've done. I always untag embarassing pictures too, mostly so my friends couldn't laugh at me but I'm glad after my boss added me xD

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Munex

Sometimes I worry about what I've put on the internet - things from many years ago that I've completely forgotten about could come back to haunt me one day. In this scenario, I don't think it's fair to be judged on what you did as a child...

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To be honest, I don't believe an employer would judge anything from under the age of 16
I certainly wouldn't, and the most governments don't believe a person is mature enough to function in society until around that age (16 or 18 for most places) so employers shouldn't take information from these times.

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Originally Posted by CrazyLemurs

To be honest, I don't believe an employer would judge anything from under the age of 16
I certainly wouldn't, and the most governments don't believe a person is mature enough to function in society until around that age (16 or 18 for most places) so employers shouldn't take information from these times.

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Neither do I, (depending on how old the person is), but if they're that concerned about how they were portrayed when they were younger nothing stopping them deleting it.

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Originally Posted by lawrawrrr

Neither do I, (depending on how old the person is), but if they're that concerned about how they were portrayed when they were younger nothing stopping them deleting it.

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Of course, in most cases that is true. But if, per chance, there wasn't the ability to remove things that were on somebody else's profile, and that when reported, nothing happened, what would happen? Employers would have to make a potentially life-changing decision, with negative evidence that shouldn't even be considered.
I'd happily say 90% of people are different at the age of 18 to when they were say, 12.

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Originally Posted by CrazyLemurs

Of course, in most cases that is true. But if, per chance, there wasn't the ability to remove things that were on somebody else's profile, and that when reported, nothing happened, what would happen? Employers would have to make a potentially life-changing decision, with negative evidence that shouldn't even be considered.
I'd happily say 90% of people are different at the age of 18 to when they were say, 12.

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As long as the person has made it, they can delete it (on every website I've ever been on anyway). Employers wouldn't base a WHOLE job prospect on one or two bad statuses, but if someone posts every day for a year 'i hate work' 'going on the dole' 'calling in sick again cos i cba' then they're not gonna want to hire that person?

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Originally Posted by lawrawrrr

As long as the person has made it, they can delete it (on every website I've ever been on anyway). Employers wouldn't base a WHOLE job prospect on one or two bad statuses, but if someone posts every day for a year 'i hate work' 'going on the dole' 'calling in sick again cos i cba' then they're not gonna want to hire that person?

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Oh but of course, if someone were to post that they were "bunking off" work then I, if I were an employer, would certainly not hire them.
Having access to statuses can be useful in situations such as this, but personally I think it's a bit of a breach of privacy. For example, the online profile of one candidate could be completely overlooked, whereas another's (likely one who hasn't performed as well at an interview or whose CV is less impressive) could be heavily influencing their result.
If Facebook profiles are to be checked, then EVERY applicant's profile should be checked.
If the person doesn't have Facebook then they can have a 'get out of jail free' card; they're safe from the possible onslaught

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Originally Posted by CrazyLemurs

Oh but of course, if someone were to post that they were "bunking off" work then I, if I were an employer, would certainly not hire them.
Having access to statuses can be useful in situations such as this, but personally I think it's a bit of a breach of privacy. For example, the online profile of one candidate could be completely overlooked, whereas another's (likely one who hasn't performed as well at an interview or whose CV is less impressive) could be heavily influencing their result.
If Facebook profiles are to be checked, then EVERY applicant's profile should be checked.
If the person doesn't have Facebook then they can have a 'get out of jail free' card; they're safe from the possible onslaught

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Would it really heavily influence? If someone isn't technically good enough for a job, a few facebook posts aren't going to tip the balance...

If someone doesn't want their facebook to be checked, they should a) not add their boss, or b) make everything private.

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Originally Posted by lawrawrrr

Would it really heavily influence? If someone isn't technically good enough for a job, a few facebook posts aren't going to tip the balance...

If someone doesn't want their facebook to be checked, they should a) not add their boss, or b) make everything private.

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If someone has superior qualifications yet a less-than-reputable Facebook profile, due to their expertise in the job/subject this may be overlooked.
However, somebody with merely adequate qualifications but a less shameful (although still embarrassing to a degree) then this profile may hold a larger swing on their chances for acceptance.

If you want a plain chocolate bar, you look for a cheaper price.
If you want a luxury chocolate bar, you look for the taste.

Completely up to the employer, personally I couldn't care less what what my staff (if I owned a business) were like outside of work provided they did the job correctly.

Only if their role relates to being in the public eye. I say that as if they are some sort of PR person, you don't want people to be able to find their facebook filled with posts like "omdz datz wel kte" when they have to act proffesional in the public eye. Or if you want to go more extreme, you don't want the public to see racy photos or racist comments made by them.

However, universities have no business looking at some sort of social network profile.

Jobs that work directly with the public (such as a journalist or writer) would likely create an entirely new profile for their professional career and possibly delete the old one or not use it extensively, in order to avoid such a situation.

Not at all. The private life of an employee is not their concern as long as it doesn't interfere with their professional life.

you know this has definitely ended ages ago

yes they should check them, but thats why you set everything to private...

Shocking, I personally wouldn't like any possible employer looking at my facebook, it's part of your 'private' life, if you can call it that.