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OK I have seen it online and read about it in the paper, where one must be careful what they have on their Facebok and/or My Space pages because..."employers are checking them out". When one applies for a job...to many employers its whats on your Facebook page that can improve or hurt your chances of getting that job.
But I have to ask...how often do employers, well do many of them actually do this as in checking you out on those social networks? Suppose you don't even have an account with either Facebook or My Space, does that hurt your chances of getting a job?
Myself I don't see why they would even bother since most people who do have accounts with either site, its usually set to "private" where only their friends can get the nitty-gritty infomation unless of course employers have some sort of way to get around that. Unless that main profile pic is something weird...just don't see how ones Facebook page will play a part in that job hunt..that is if the account is set to "private" to begin with.
Yes, I know that the Facebook profile itself is set to private and people can't see it unless they're your "friends" (very very loose term these days). If your profile pic is something off-color, like being at a bar with a dozen shots lined up in front of you or doing some dirty deed on spring break with 3 guys then yes, it probably looks bad. I'm sure some employers check it out and some don't. I don't know. Facebook has really gone downhill since it went public, and with all of the 'likes' and peoples constant inane updates ("I'm going shopping and out to dinner and watching a movie with my kids and I'm so happy!" "Like OMG my BFF is drunk again LOL!"), I finally got rid of my account.
Myspace I don't know about, since I'm not 14 years old. Does anyone have a Myspace account these days?
Facebook is great if you actually use it for what it's meant for. I have had a lot of "friend" requests from people at my employer, high school class etc. but I ignore them. Only people I can pick up the phone and talk to are used. It's great because it allows me to more easily keep updated with addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc.
Yes, I know that the Facebook profile itself is set to private and people can't see it unless they're your "friends" (very very loose term these days). If your profile pic is something off-color, like being at a bar with a dozen shots lined up in front of you or doing some dirty deed on spring break with 3 guys then yes, it probably looks bad. I'm sure some employers check it out and some don't. I don't know. Facebook has really gone downhill since it went public, and with all of the 'likes' and peoples constant inane updates ("I'm going shopping and out to dinner and watching a movie with my kids and I'm so happy!" "Like OMG my BFF is drunk again LOL!"), I finally got rid of my account.
Myspace I don't know about, since I'm not 14 years old. Does anyone have a Myspace account these days?
It would have been easy for you to hide your friends updates so that you wouldn't have had to see all of that. I'm guessing you don't like twitter as well.
I have my profile locked down so that only friends can see most of my personal information so a prospective employer wouldn't find much besides where I went to school and where I've worked. Nothing they wouldn't already know from any application I might submit.
Yes, I know that the Facebook profile itself is set to private and people can't see it unless they're your "friends" (very very loose term these days). If your profile pic is something off-color, like being at a bar with a dozen shots lined up in front of you or doing some dirty deed on spring break with 3 guys then yes, it probably looks bad. I'm sure some employers check it out and some don't. I don't know. Facebook has really gone downhill since it went public, and with all of the 'likes' and peoples constant inane updates ("I'm going shopping and out to dinner and watching a movie with my kids and I'm so happy!" "Like OMG my BFF is drunk again LOL!"), I finally got rid of my account.
Myspace I don't know about, since I'm not 14 years old. Does anyone have a Myspace account these days?
Downhill? From what I understand, originally Facebook was developed by a couple of students as Harvard University's version of "hot or not".
I doubt you could go much farther downhill than this.
I like Facebook - it keeps me connected to friends and family that it otherwise would be difficult to stay in touch with (and FYI, I'm in my mid-fifties). And I like reading the "inane" status updates of my friends. Of course, I don't "collect" friends in order to have hundreds of them as a way of impressing people. The people who are my friends and have access to my profile are really friends.
Back to the OP's question, as a former employer I did get into the habit of checking FB and other social networking sites. And this is one reason why users should make sure they keep their information set to "private" so access is limited. My advice is not to avoid having these types of accounts, but just to make sure that you are selective about what information you make public.
It would have been easy for you to hide your friends updates so that you wouldn't have had to see all of that. I'm guessing you don't like twitter as well.
I have my profile locked down so that only friends can see most of my personal information so a prospective employer wouldn't find much besides where I went to school and where I've worked. Nothing they wouldn't already know from any application I might submit.
One of my co-workers doesn't do one damn thing but Twitter for 8 hours straight every shift. Why the boss doesn't say anything is beyond me. The pink and blue sparkly icon is enough to keep me far away from it.
Facebook is great if you actually use it for what it's meant for. I have had a lot of "friend" requests from people at my employer, high school class etc. but I ignore them. Only people I can pick up the phone and talk to are used. It's great because it allows me to more easily keep updated with addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc.
Same here. I definitely don't add anyone I don't actually want to talk too. No coworkers (or former coworkers) are on there either. I don't really care what the majority of my high school class is doing now (save the 2 or 3 people that treated me decently) and now I get all kinds of requests from old HS 'friends' who want discounted airfare (I don't even work for commercial airlines!) etc.
We do check facebook (and facebook friends for that matter) when searching for information about employees. We also do a google search of their name to see if anything weird pops up. I immediately delete anyone on my 'friends' list (no matter how close we are...I deleted my sister not too long ago) if they have themselves doing something illegal or bad for my reputation on their displayed photo. My sister had a picture of herself and a friend in front of a really tall bong.... DELETED.
Back to the OP's question, as a former employer I did get into the habit of checking FB and other social networking sites
What about other sites such as You Tube, E-Harmony, Yahoo Personals etc...? When I worked in radio it was somewhat common knowledge that some companies in the biz like Clear Channel would "google" some of their employees names and try to find out as much info as they could. That happened to a friend of mine who was a bodybuilder as well as an announcer. For a time he had a clip of himself on You Tube showing him lifting weights and wearing nothing but a jockstrap. Imagine his surprise when Clear Channel sent him a letter in the mail demanding for him to take that clip off of You Tube or else even though nothing was mentioned on You Tube about his radio job nor has he ever appeared on any of the Clear Channel websites...yet Clear Channel had found out anyway, then again Clear Channel isn't like most companies anyway but then again, again I have heard in the past about how some companies have fake profiles on sex sites to see if any of their employees are members and to catch them in the act. Hmmmmmmmm
OK I have seen it online and read about it in the paper, where one must be careful what they have on their Facebok and/or My Space pages because..."employers are checking them out". When one applies for a job...to many employers its whats on your Facebook page that can improve or hurt your chances of getting that job.
But I have to ask...how often do employers, well do many of them actually do this as in checking you out on those social networks? Suppose you don't even have an account with either Facebook or My Space, does that hurt your chances of getting a job?
Myself I don't see why they would even bother since most people who do have accounts with either site, its usually set to "private" where only their friends can get the nitty-gritty infomation unless of course employers have some sort of way to get around that. Unless that main profile pic is something weird...just don't see how ones Facebook page will play a part in that job hunt..that is if the account is set to "private" to begin with.
Hmmm, thank you for your thread. I DO have a weird pic of me on FB. I will go delete it.
It just seems unethical for a company to go around and try to catch employees in the "act". I work with someone who will "Facebook friend" people and it's common knowledge that she will constantly look on their pages to see what they're doing. She laughs that she goes home after work and does this, and reports to the boss anything 'unusual'. Seriously, she must have no life. Of course, those who accept her as a "friend" should know better but still. And googling peoples names to see what comes up? Thats a little scary but I guess it's the price we pay for living in a high-tech yet increasingly shrinking world.
Even after deleting my FB account I'm still "in the system". Googling my name and I've had weird stuff come up, nothing bad, just related to discussions regarding history and books (but of course, most people think talking about history and reading is 'weird'). Now I wonder just how many other people HAVE googled my name...epecially employers.
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