Slashdot Mirror


One In Five Employers Scan Applicants' Web Lives

Ned Nederlander writes "CareerBuilder's new survey finds: 'Of those hiring managers who have screened job candidates via social networking profiles, one-third (34 percent) reported they found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate from consideration.' Some red flags: content about applicant using drugs or drinking, inappropriate photos and bad-mouthing former bosses."

29 of 566 comments (clear)

  1. and... by thedonger · · Score: 5, Funny

    Posting to /.

    --
    Help fight poverty: Punch a poor person.
    1. Re:and... by skuzzlebutt · · Score: 2, Funny

      I have the dubious honor of having the same name as a...um...minor celebrity who definitely outranks me in Google hits. NSFW: visit my domain below, but take out the "d". Then, go rinse your eyes.

      --
      My debut novel AMITY now available: http://jeremydbrooks.c
    2. Re:and... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1, Funny

      See, this is why I never use my real name on the Internet.

      God forbid anyone should find out my name after I've said that my husband, that cranky old bastard, has a tiny unit and likes to watch Dancing with the Stars.

      Sometimes, the pressure of having a secret internet life makes me want to crush up a few Vicodan and snort 'em up. I can't wait until this election is over so I can finally relax.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:and... by Samah · · Score: 3, Funny

      Especially if the beer is VB.

      --
      Homonyms are fun!
      You're driving your car, but they're riding their bikes there.
  2. So wait... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The sky is blue.
    Water is wet.
    Grass is green.

    ...and now you tell me that acting like an ass-hat then posting it online, will affect your real life?

    I am just SHOCKED!

  3. You mean you use your real ID? by Colin+Smith · · Score: 5, Funny

    You don't think this is my real name do you?

    No, this is the name of my mortal enemy.

     

    --
    Deleted
    1. Re:You mean you use your real ID? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 3, Funny

      You don't think this is my real name do you?

      No, this is the name of my mortal enemy

      Fscker! Don't think can't I find out your REAL name!

      -- Colin Smith

  4. Re:Extra! Extra! by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 3, Funny

    Full story, page 6.

    Crap. We need more comments, people! I'm still showing only one page here.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  5. Re:Only 20%?? by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Solution for facebook: Just don't.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  6. Re:yeh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    A drunk chav and a fat scoutmaster who "was exhausted from having 60 scouts last night" would have been eaten alive in our tech support... :)

    M

    Are you sure about that? It definitely takes some stamina to do 60 scouts in a single night...

  7. Hello, potential employer. by Korey+Kaczor · · Score: 5, Funny

    How's the googling going? I hope you like reading my slashdot posts. And if you have karma, mod my posts up, too. In addition to hiring me with a nice fat salary.

    1. Re:Hello, potential employer. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      This is my homepage by the way: http://goatse.cx/

  8. Sometimes there's no need to go beyond the resume by RayMarron · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sorry Mr. Dragon, the numerous grammatical and spelling errors in your previous post have dissuaded us from extending an offer of employment at this time. We felt there was no need to look into your social networking persona after reading that.

    --
    ON DELETE CASCADE
  9. Re:What About the Good Things? AND SABOTAGE!!! by lordofthechia · · Score: 4, Funny

    So...

    Step 1: Keep a professional "personal" site up where you praise your prior employers and you extol the virtues of work and your pride in your accomplishments at your job.
    Step 2: (Optional) Keep a separate social site for your friends (which doesn't explicitly list you by name), also set to private.
    Step 3: Get the names of the other applicants and set them up facebook accounts where they list their exploits stealing office supplies, being lazy/napping on the job, and taking pot breaks/drinking at work. Extra Credit for including the phrase "Man, I was so WASTED at work the other day!" anywhere in their profile.
    Step 4: ???*
    Step 5: Hired!

    * Depending on state, Step 4 may be "Get sued for libel" (Do not go to step 5, do not collect a monthly paycheck).

    --
    Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
  10. Re:You're not thinking by explosivejared · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh I don't know... "Yeah... ummm that picture that was tagged of me on facebook while "I" was supposedly snorting cocaine while setting fire to a kennel full of puppies... ummm that was definitely a smear campaign!" It just sort of has that ring of unbelievability to it.

    --
    I got a catholic block.
  11. Re:I do the same thing to my employers by VeNoM0619 · · Score: 2, Funny

    One interview I casually mentioned seeing a really good performance by a local violin player. I hadn't actually gone, just read a review. I didn't mention I knew she was his daughter

    Nice way to game the system, and why can't this work in reverse? Time to make my facebook profile... let's see...

    Currently: Helping with world hunger, developing several open source projects, researching the cure for AIDS, loved my previous coworkers and employers....What else? I want to be a shoe in for any job.

    --
    Disclaimer: I am not god.
    We may not be created equal
    But we can be treated equal.
  12. Screen Name Unprofessional? by devotedlhasa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh you want to check out my profile? Sure thing, just search for smokesalottaweed. Let me know about that job. Thanks!

  13. Re:Only 20%?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's easy to say when your family is just a shout upstairs away.

  14. Re:This is why... by CorporateSuit · · Score: 5, Funny

    I make sure that if somebody Googles my real name, their first hit is my resume. Everything else is garbage.

    It must be nice to have a name that dwells in relative obscurity. For those of us named things like "John Smith", "Charles Barkley", "Ron Jeremy" and "Clown Anal" that's not quite so easy.

    --
    I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
  15. Re:Silly people by moderatorrater · · Score: 4, Funny

    I know what you mean. I, Devin Lott, of 1056 Arbor Way, 89120, am worried that if people find out that I save cats in my spare time, they'll hold it against me because they're dog people. Or they'll find out that one night a week I save children from burning buildings instead. Or even that I volunteer at the wrong soup kitchen.

    Oh well, at least Doctors without Borders will be taking me out of the country for a year, so I won't have to worry about it until then.

  16. Re:You're not thinking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Yeah... ummm that picture that was tagged of me on facebook while "I" was supposedly snorting cocaine while setting fire to a kennel full of puppies... ummm that was definitely a smear campaign!"

    Quick! Send this idea to the McCain smear campaign! This will make all those people stop voting for Obama!

  17. Re:You're not thinking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Quick! Send this idea to the McCain smear campaign! This will make all those people stop voting for Obama!

    People won't care unless the puppies have lipstick on them.

  18. Re:You're not thinking by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've been a victim myself of a web smear campaign, and I can tell you that it's no fun. Plus it will stay around forever, depending on how it's done.

    I've seen a lot of negative things posted about you on the internet; I didn't realize that it was part of a smear campaign! From now on I will not trust anything I read about "Anonymous Coward"!

  19. Re:Only 20%?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where are these PGP settings? I can't find them anywhere and I'd really like to encrypt my Facebook page.

  20. Re:You're not thinking by Misch · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dilbert: I'm the victim of an ugly rumor at work.

    Dogbert: Are you saying that the rumor is ugly or that the rumor is that you are ugly?

    Dilbert: I'm saying that the rumor itself is ugly.

    Dogbert: I have some more bad news for you.

    --

    --You will rephrase your request for me to go to hell. Goto statements are not acceptable programming constructs
  21. Re:This is why... by NotPeteMcCabe · · Score: 2, Funny
    You're telling me!

    Sincerely,

    Pete Goatse

  22. Re:Silly people by againjj · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or, maybe people will find out you support piracy.

    (Note, in case anyone starts to get too hasty, my point is that it is easy to find stuff the Internet and take it out of context.)

  23. Compromising photos - free self advertisement! by TiggertheMad · · Score: 3, Funny

    And the logic of posting photos of yourself in compromising situations online: There is none.

    You are quite right. If the compromising photos are interesting enough, other people will post them for you...

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
  24. This explains so much... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    1. Twitter loses job
    2. Twitter posts resume on careerbuilder.com
    3. Twitter can't get a job because interviewers figure out that he's a raving, narcissistic loon
    4. Twitter discovers that careerbuilder.com uses Microsoft products on the back end
    5. Therefore... Twitter hates Microsoft!

    This makes so much more sense now!