Comments on: HR Folks Really Do Check Facebook

By: Darlene McDaniel

Darlene McDaniel — Sat, 30 May 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Hi Paul,

Yep you are correct. People do have their privacy settings configured and I would be lying if I told you understand all of the technical aspects of Facebook. I am trying to understand how people are able to see profiles that they are not Friends with. So stay tuned. I am exploring the how, and what is happening. I can tell you that colleges see profiles of students, hiring managers see profiles of potential candidates and that people have lost jobs because of their Facebook profile. I would love it if someone from Facebook would answer the question of how people’s profiles are vulnerable to hiring managers.

One of the things maybe the groups that people belong to. But again, I need to get more information. I will write more on this topic when I have more information to share.

Darlene

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:42:01 +0000

Don’t most Facebook users configure their privacy settings? I certainly do. If Joe HR Guy checks my Facebook profile, all he’ll learn is that I have one, and who some of my friends are.

By: Darlene McDaniel

Darlene McDaniel — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:25:42 +0000

Hi MG, Thanks for stopping by bizzia Careers. I appreciate your comment, however it is not about HR folks without a lot to do or being underutilized. Organizations want as much information as they can have on any given potential employee. Organizations don’t like surprises and with the popularity of social networking and young people that like to share all of their doings with their friends and acquaintances, organizations have the opportunity to take advantage of all the information people want to share about them selves. It can make a difference in whether you get a job offer.

There may be privacy settings on Facebook and other social media platforms, but people in organizations do find out information about potential candidates and it can be a showstopper for some who have not exercised discretion on their profiles.

Please feel free to stop by bizzia Careers any time.

Thanks!

By: MG

MG — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:31:29 +0000

HR folks with not a lot to do may be checking facebook and its a good rule of thumb not to post nudie or potsmoking pics but – there are privacy settings on facebook that will limit what bored, underutilized HR people may be bringing up on your facebook account. Use them.