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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."

16 of 566 comments (clear)

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

    Posting to /.

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    1. Re:and... by thedonger · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And only an idiot would film themselves committing a crime, and it would take an even bigger idiot to post that video to the Internet, and...

      --
      Help fight poverty: Punch a poor person.
    2. Re:and... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful
      "Pictures of applicants drinking?

      "Look, this guy is at a restaurant and there's a beer on the table. Better not hire that one, must be a lush!"

      I don't think that this is the problem, but, if you've put out fun pix of yourself half nekkid, with a half empty bottle of Jack in one hand, and a skull bong in the other one....you're likely to get passed over for a job, or these days...cheap insurance, a security clearance, or hell, it could affect your credit rating probably at some point.

      And sadly, I hope you're never running for public office....once on the internet, this kind of stuff will haunt you for life.

      On the other hand, if you keep your life private, well, this type of thing may give you an advantage, and let other people take themselves out of competition for jobs, etc...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  2. Only 20%?? by francisstp · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why does every manager not screen all applicants? Takes 5 minutes.

    1. Re:Only 20%?? by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

      Solution for facebook: Just don't.

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      This guy's the limit!
    2. Re:Only 20%?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    3. 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.

  3. Silly people by Haoie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What would you expect if you admitted you're a drunken dope user on Facebook? An award for honesty?

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

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    If each mistake being made is a new one, then progress is being made.
  4. What About the Good Things? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This summary leaves out the entire second half of the article:

    On the other hand, social networking profiles gave some job seekers an edge over the competition. Twenty-four percent of hiring managers who researched job candidates via social networking sites said they found content that helped to solidify their decision to hire the candidate. Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included:

    • 48% - candidate's background supported their qualifications for the job
    • 43% - candidate had great communication skills
    • 40% - candidate was a good fit for the company's culture
    • 36% - candidate's site conveyed a professional image
    • 31% - candidate had great references posted about them by others
    • 30% - candidate showed a wide range of interests
    • 29% - candidate received awards and accolades
    • 24% - candidate's profile was creative

    Some of the numbers on this article have to be wrong ... 22% shared sensitive information from their prior employer ... ?! What could that be?

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    My work here is dung.
  5. 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.

     

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    Deleted
  6. Re:Interview process improvement by LWATCDR · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You are using the wrong word.
    Your private life should be off limits.
    What you do in public is public. Having people judge you by how you act in public is they way that the world works.
    But guess what poor judgment will effect your life.

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  7. You're not thinking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any manager who scans the supposed web life of an applicant is a complete idiot if they can't verify that what they are looking at is authenticated to the applicant.

    Let me put it simply. Send me your real name and address. I'll guarantee that I'll trash any job potential you have with one of these hiring managers.

    Which might actually be a good thing, since any such manager has probably also populated the place with fellow idiots.

    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.

    1. Re:You're not thinking by makeajazznoisehere · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Are people really so dumb as to believe that everything they see on the Internet is true?

      You are broadcasting an IP address!

      Your computer may be infected with SPYWARE! Click here to download our free spyware removal tool!

      Click here for FULL VERSION DOWNLOADS!

      Yes, it's a silly question. :)

  8. 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.

  9. Re:Interview process improvement by fishbowl · · Score: 5, Insightful

    >What you do in public is public.

    Yes. And why would you bother doing anything for an employer who is petty enough to hold your web presence against you?

    At my jobs, the people I've worked for have been into me for who I am.

    Somebody checks my facebook page or whatever, it's what it's there for. Somebody has a *problem* with what they find there, they can kiss my ass, and I'd be man enough to say it point blanc even to a boss or prospective boss.

    And speaking as a boss, I might do something like this just to test you to see if you have enough integrity to stand up for yourself. If you have a lot of counterculture / political stuff on your shirt sleeve, and you try to pretend to be someone else, I have NO respect for that.

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    -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
  10. 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.

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