More Evidence That...

[KRAM1]

More evidence that what you post online matters....

Wall Street Journal...Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012

"Web Profiles Haunt Students"

Survey of college and university admissions officers, 2012:

1) Have you ever Googled an applicant to learn more about them

YES: 27%

NO: 73%

2) Have you ever visited his or her social networking page like Facebook?

YES: 26%

NO: 74%

3) Have you ever discovered something online that hurt an applicant:

YES: 35%

NO: 65%

Folks, what you do online matters more and more and it matters for your kids as well...I can see the "yes" answers going higher and higher in future surveys...I know that one of the banks where i was once employed also "researches" social media sites for clues to what applicants for employment are posting/doing, etc. This stuff matters...as seen here...even your chances of gaining admission to the university of your choice. Worth thinking about!

EDIT: Corrected a spelling error...oops. Sorry!

Edited October 4, 2012 by KRAM1

[oldguystudent]

I was surprised at how low the yes answers were until I realized it was college admission and not employers. Technology, social networking in particular, has given employers the tools to disqualify just about anybody.

I began taking steps years ago to cover up any online incriminating evidence and people told me I was crazy. Now, if you've gone off the grid like I have, that hurts you too.

Apparently, you're supposed to have an active online presence with your real name that spends all waking hours tending to injured puppies, and you're supposed to hold no opinion on any topic.

I question in the long term what will become of this. Companies are demanding unrealistic standards from candidates, so surely they will eventually face a labor shortage of their own making.

Meanwhile, because people are human, they'll continue to drink, make love out of wedlock, express opinion, and get into occasional altercations with the law (about 1 in 3 Americans have some form of criminal record now). People will simply adapt and learn to be more discreet.

As an example, nowhere does there exist a picture of me at a UNT tailgate, a family friendly event that I enjoy with my daughter, because I refuse to be photographed with a koozie in my hand.

Call me paranoid, but I've come to believe that if someone finds something they can use against me, and they stand to gain from doing so, they will not hesitate.

[meangreendork]

Companies really have upped the expectations by checking someone's online presence or lack of. What really is upsetting is that in some cases, an employer will ask for someone's login credentials (which is a huge red flag) in addition to checking up on the employee.

I sort of look at it this way, "you want to screen my financial history, screen what I do online, demand hours from me outside of the given schedule, and then expect me to be 100% loyal to you when I know you can drop me whenever? Nah, I'm not dealing with that."

OGS: I think that the better candidates for a job will go places where the screening process will be a lot less intrusive.

[oldguystudent]

I have walked out of interviews in times when I desperately needed work because they wanted personal information on my friends and family as sales leads. I would not hesitate to do the same in response to a facebook login request.

No matter how poor, I'm never going to be anybody's 24/7 little robot bitch. I was already married once

[UNT90]

I was surprised at how low the yes answers were until I realized it was college admission and not employers. Technology, social networking in particular, has given employers the tools to disqualify just about anybody.

I began taking steps years ago to cover up any online incriminating evidence and people told me I was crazy. Now, if you've gone off the grid like I have, that hurts you too.

Apparently, you're supposed to have an active online presence with your real name that spends all waking hours tending to injured puppies, and you're supposed to hold no opinion on any topic.

I question in the long term what will become of this. Companies are demanding unrealistic standards from candidates, so surely they will eventually face a labor shortage of their own making.

Meanwhile, because people are human, they'll continue to drink, make love out of wedlock, express opinion, and get into occasional altercations with the law (about 1 in 3 Americans have some form of criminal record now). People will simply adapt and learn to be more discreet.

As an example, nowhere does there exist a picture of me at a UNT tailgate, a family friendly event that I enjoy with my daughter, because I refuse to be photographed with a koozie in my hand.

Call me paranoid, but I've come to believe that if someone finds something they can use against me, and they stand to gain from doing so, they will not hesitate.

Nope. Very smart. But there is absolutely pictures of you from the tailgate online somewhere, just stay off Facebook or don't accept any friends so your "friends" don't tag a photo of you holding a beer. Women are by far the worst offenders, always having to "check in" somewhere and wanting to do the same to you.

I have had to threaten people with "unfriending" if they didn't pull a picture off line and untag me. And I keep a VERY close circle of Facebook friends (and never post on that sight. That's just ridiculous). I also pay VERY close attention to the privacy setings, as Facebook often changes things to make you more vunerable.

If I were an employer, I wouldn't hire ANYONE who didn't have strict privacy settings on Facebook. To me, that demostrates a lack of responsibility in one's public life (no, it's not private, or else I couldn't see it) that makes one unemployable. If you are that irresponsible with your own information, just think how irresponsible you will be with mine.

Edited October 4, 2012 by UNT90

[emmitt01]

In the 3 1/2 years I worked undercover I had to, on several occasions, tell people to stop tagging me at locations. And, yes, it was always women.

[KRAM1]

In the 3 1/2 years I worked undercover I had to, on several occasions, tell people to stop tagging me at locations. And, yes, it was always women.

Handsome cops always have chick stalkers....just sayin.....

[Censored by Laurie]

In the 3 1/2 years I worked undercover I had to, on several occasions, tell people to stop tagging me at locations. And, yes, it was always women.

Bored at work. Wish it was happy hour. - with emmitt01 at The Back Alley Next to Suspected Crip-run Drug House

[kalebschumann]

You guys may be super safe with this stuff- but a lot of my friends are not so smart.

I'm amazed at the stuff people put online. Even though their profile may be blocked to non-friends, their friends are still seeing all the stupid stuff they put online. It's going to come back and bite them at some point.

[Censored by Laurie]

You guys may be super safe with this stuff- but a lot of my friends are not so smart.

I'm amazed at the stuff people put online. Even though their profile may be blocked to non-friends, their friends are still seeing all the stupid stuff they put online. It's going to come back and bite them at some point.

I honestly don't give a damn what goes up on my Facebook page. I'd probably have to delete a good third of my pictures if a beer or adult beverage in hand was a concern. It's me. If a company wouldn't hire me based on the fact that I've a bourbon in my hand at a friend's birthday or a beer at a tailgate then I don't need to be working for that company.

Conversely, if you're concerned that your "online-presence" might disqualify you from a certain position, I think that might speak more to your confidence and skill-set than it does the possibility of a few risque' pictures being seen by a potential employer.

[KRAM1]

I honestly don't give a damn what goes up on my Facebook page. I'd probably have to delete a good third of my pictures if a beer or adult beverage in hand was a concern. It's me. If a company wouldn't hire me based on the fact that I've a bourbon in my hand at a friend's birthday or a beer at a tailgate then I don't need to be working for that company.

Conversely, if you're concerned that your "online-presence" might disqualify you from a certain position, I think that might speak more to your confidence and skill-set than it does the possibility of a few risque' pictures being seen by a potential employer.

Those who have been denied admission to the college of their choice or have been turned away from a job opportunity due to something on some social media site just may not agree with your cavalier attitude CBL...but more power to you. Hope it doesn't ever cause you any concerns. Good luck with that "confidence thing" if it ever does come back to bite ya! You know...because it could never happen to you, right? Hope not. Good luck.

[Censored by Laurie]

Those who have been denied admission to the college of their choice or have been turned away from a job opportunity due to something on some social media site just may not agree with your cavalier attitude CBL...but more power to you. Hope it doesn't ever cause you any concerns. Good luck with that "confidence thing" if it ever does come back to bite ya! You know...because it could never happen to you, right? Hope not. Good luck.

If you're good enough at what you do you'll be sought after.

[KRAM1]

If you're good enough at what you do you'll be sought after.

WRONG...but whatever floats your boat. Had several folks with stellar and I mean stellar banking resumes cross my desk during my banking days but each had a "hiccup" of sorts when we started checking....none got hired...by us anyway. Last I knew one found a job outside of banking in the end. Have no clue about the others. Mainly I agree with you, but the facts are beginning to say differently...there's an ex-QB at TCU wondering about all this right now...he's pretty good, but his decision making seems to leave a bit to be desired....love the cavalier attitude however. If it works for you GREAT, it won't for everyone. The point here is to be careful....your choice.

[MeanGreenTexan]

If you're good enough at what you do you'll be sought after.

WRONG...but whatever floats your boat. Had several folks with stellar and I mean stellar banking resumes cross my desk during my banking days but each had a "hiccup" of sorts when we started checking....none got hired...by us anyway. Last I knew one found a job outside of banking in the end. Have no clue about the others. Mainly I agree with you, but the facts are beginning to say differently...there's an ex-QB at TCU wondering about all this right now...he's pretty good, but his decision making seems to leave a bit to be desired....love the cavalier attitude however. If it works for you GREAT, it won't for everyone. The point here is to be careful....your choice.

Good luck getting that new job with your failed drug test and DWI booking CBL!!

[greenminer]

Kram uses the label "cavalier" pretty liberally.

[GreenBat]

Kram uses the label "cavalier" pretty liberally.

Don't use any derivation of the word liberal when talking about KRAM1. #SARCASM

[Censored by Laurie]

Good luck getting that new job with your failed drug test and DWI booking CBL!!

Yes...illegalities not with-standing. I assumed that was a given.

[emmitt01]

Kram uses the label "cavalier" pretty liberally.

He's from Cleveland.

[UNT90]

I honestly don't give a damn what goes up on my Facebook page. I'd probably have to delete a good third of my pictures if a beer or adult beverage in hand was a concern. It's me. If a company wouldn't hire me based on the fact that I've a bourbon in my hand at a friend's birthday or a beer at a tailgate then I don't need to be working for that company.

Conversely, if you're concerned that your "online-presence" might disqualify you from a certain position, I think that might speak more to your confidence and skill-set than it does the possibility of a few risque' pictures being seen by a potential employer.

Dude, everything you put on there, if not controlled for privacy, is out there FOREVER!!

You don't have kids or a wife yet. Priorities change. Many employers won't hire you if you are irresponsible with social media, and they shouldn't..

As for your attitude, what about in 10 years, when you have a wife and 2 kids and are looking for the bog promotion.

Ya, I know, your never getting married and will always be the greatest at what you do so it would never affect you.

I've run across several people who have thought their Facebook could never affect then. I'm happy to say that they were completely wrong.

[untgirl04]

It is absolutely forbidden at my company to use social media search results as a criteria when screening a candidate. If we are caught doing it, well, let's just say you won't be making hiring decisions any time soon.

However, when you're already employed by the company, I do know that they'll monitor anything you post online.

[UNT90]

It is absolutely forbidden at my company to use social media search results as a criteria when screening a candidate. If we are caught doing it, well, let's just say you won't be making hiring decisions any time soon.

However, when you're already employed by the company, I do know that they'll monitor anything you post online.

So they don't wanna know anything about your social media responsibility before hiring you, yet suddenly want to know any and everything after your employment?

Hope they aren't shocked when they find out the people they didn't check out ahead of time turn out to be irresponsible online.

That is a really passive-aggressive policy, dont you think?

Public or Private entity?

[Monkeypox]

So they don't wanna know anything about your social media responsibility before hiring you, yet suddenly want to know any and everything after your employment?

Hope they aren't shocked when they find out the people they didn't check out ahead of time turn out to be irresponsible online.

That is a really passive-aggressive policy, dont you think?

Public or Private entity?

Ehhh, I'd say it's a smart policy. Unless you're using an outside entity to information gather from a person's social media, you're likely gaining access to protected class information, even if it's not private. Legally, you're not allowed to come upon age, race, gender, etc. in a search. If it's a question you can't ASK on a job form or in an interview, it's one you can't find the answers for online. What this means is you have to have a pretty complex search method and criteria, as well as concrete policies and procedures for how to handle the information. Anything less, and the company is open to lawsuits.

I know a few companies farm this stuff out, because then they can adopt the criteria from a vendor who's software or search methods can parse out the information that you're not legally allowed to view. Otherwise, you can't have anybody involved in hiring actually do the searches, and then they'd have to record and separate the information.

[KRAM1]

It is absolutely forbidden at my company to use social media search results as a criteria when screening a candidate. If we are caught doing it, well, let's just say you won't be making hiring decisions any time soon.

However, when you're already employed by the company, I do know that they'll monitor anything you post online.

May or may not be a legal issue, but this sure seems backwards to me! Who do you work for.....Disneyland? Don't answer that...I already know.

[oldguystudent]

I like my current situation. It is explicitly written in our employee manual that personal online activity on sites like Facebook are private...until the day that we as employees begin to represent ourselves as connected to the firm in our profiles. Ergo, none of my Facebook friends know where I work.

[KRAM1]

I like my current situation. It is explicitly written in our employee manual that personal online activity on sites like Facebook are private...until the day that we as employees begin to represent ourselves as connected to the firm in our profiles. Ergo, none of my Facebook friends know where I work.

Seems like a reasonable policy to me...so, where do you work? Just kiddin.......don't answer that!