I've never asked a candidate for their password, that to me is ludicrous. I do however (~90% of time) 'google' the person by "name" and location. I understand that a candidate's personal life can be very different from their professional life, but the two are connected by a single thread called 'self'. I really could care less about political affiliations, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and the like. However, drunken photos posted Monday at 17:45 or status like "called in sick today, off to the beach" could be insightful in the kind of person I'm considering to hire.
Employers should not request access to candidates' social media outlets, just as they do not request to spend a weekend with me to observe my habits. Candidates, on the other hand, need to ensure their online presence is something they are proud of (and happy to defend) if seen by friends, parents, clerics and potential employers, IMHO.
Candidates, on the other hand, need to ensure their online presence is something they are proud of (and happy to defend) if seen by friends, parents, clerics and potential employers, IMHO.
The problem is that this is difficult, especially for younger people.
I've had various online aliases over the years, most of which have been abandoned because they no longer reflect me at all.
Let's say you were 16-18 and naive and got roped into some extreme political or religious cult group (this didn't happen to me btw). You might post all kinds of things and at the time you would probably be totally convinced that these were things you would be happy to share forever.
Basically, we need to tell kids "don't post anything online under your real name unless you would be happy to tattoo it onto your forehead"
> Basically, we need to tell kids "don't post anything online under your real name unless you would be happy to tattoo it onto your forehead"
And even that's probably not enough. Look at all the people who regret tatoos they've gotten. We're simply not very good at predicting how our lives or perspectives may change over time.
I understand that employers, just like employees, need every advantage they can get. But some events in my own past (namely, getting stalked) have led me to think that gathering details about someone on the Internet without their knowledge is in some ways even creepier than openly asking them for their Facebook password. Do you tell candidates that you're going to google them? If yes, do you give them a chance to ask you not to do that?
Employers should not request access to candidates' social media outlets, just as they do not request to spend a weekend with me to observe my habits. Candidates, on the other hand, need to ensure their online presence is something they are proud of (and happy to defend) if seen by friends, parents, clerics and potential employers, IMHO.