Social Media Background Checks

            For years companies have been doing background checks on potential employees.  The traditional background check told the employer if the potential employee had a criminal background or was a drug user.  Today some companies are taking the traditional background check a step further, and are also performing social media background checks.  This practice includes searching social networking sites in order to find more out about potential employees.  Commonly searched social networking sites are Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedln.

            It is currently being debated whether or not performing a social networking background check should be allowed.  Employers argue that the social media background check helps them determine if the potential employee will be a good fit in their organization.  It can provide them with insight into the candidate’s personality, and also help them design appropriate questions for the interview.  While potential employees often argue that it is an infringement of their privacy.  They tend to feel that what happens in their personal life is just that, personal.  They also worry that the information that they find while performing a social media background check will influence their hiring decision in a negative manner. 

            It has been reported that seven out of ten U.S. employers reject candidates based on information they have posted online.  The same study also reported that ninety percent of employers are "somewhat concerned" to "very concerned" that the information they find can be inaccurate and unreliable.  (Siedsma, 2012)  Yet, although these concerns have been noted employers are increasingly placing more importance on information and pictures from this source. 

            A lot of information found as the result of social media background checks can cast an unfavorable light onto the potential candidate.  For example, a candidate's age, gender, sexuality, and religious beliefs are typically exposed in such checks.  Employers are not supposed to consider this information when making their decision, but once they know something it can be difficult not to let it influence their decision.

            Another concern of potential employees is their use of short hand when writing messages to friends back and forth.  For example, “What r u doing 2nite?”  is something that a friend might post onto another friend’s wall.  Although this form of communication might be found appropriate by the two people who are actually communicating in the conversation, a potential employer will likely view it as unprofessional. 

            Social networking sites are also likely to provide the potential employers with information about your family.  They might find out that you have four young children, and worry that you will not have enough time to commit to the job.  Or they might find out that you are single, and become concerned that you are a flight risk.

            While most of the discussion related to social media background checks focuses on the negative information, some positive information can also be found.  For example, when some employers are doing social media background checks they are looking to see who your friends are, and what groups you are a member of.  This can benefit the candidate when they are connected to other individuals or groups in the same business.  The employer wants to see if you are connected to key people who can potentially benefit them. 

            Federal employment laws are in place to level the playing field.  All individuals are supposed to receive an equal opportunity regardless of age, class, gender, race, sexuality, and religious beliefs.  As more and more social networking sites are developed, new laws will have to be developed in order to regulate what is considered fair game when it comes to social media sites.  The reality is that social networking sites are a very important part of today's society, and their use will only continue to grow making this an even larger issue.