Social media screening down for new hires

introduced bills or passed laws outlawing these types of practices, particularly “shoulder surfing” and requesting passwords. While only about a quarter of companies utilize search engines (and even fewer use social media) for pre-employment screening, this does not mean that employers have stopped looking for information about a potential hire. The small percentage may be because people have begun to understand that employers can view anything they post online, and are more cautious in posting, even using this to their advantage. Another reason for the low number may be because it is too easy to find information on social media by which it is illegal to discriminate, such as a candidate’s age, religious organizations, gender and race. By avoiding social media searches, a company protects itself against potential lawsuits over this kind of discrimination. The same is true of utilizing search engines, and in addition there are many chances for error with this method. Unless an applicant has a very unique name, there is all too much risk that wrong information may be attributed to an applicant, as search engines don’t discern the differences between two people. An easier way to obtain the information you’d want to know about a candidate would be to do a full applicant background check. Not only do you ensure that you’re receiving information on the correct person, but you can avoid discrimination lawsuits by only receiving relevant information about a candidate’s past. Contact Mind Your Business to get started with your background screen and find the best applicants for your job opening.]]>