Be careful with FACEBOOK

[Stephieee]

So I applied and interviewed at the three local hospitals, which are collectively part of one hospital system.

One of the hiring managers hired me, and said that human resources would follow up. The other two hospitals also told me that human resources would be in touch with me either way. A month and a half later I have not heard from anyone. I called several times and never had my message returned. Finally I got in touch with the manager who hired me and she told me that I posted on facebook a year ago the following:

Someone wrote on my wall asking where I'd like to work when I graduate. I responded saying my dream job would be at ******* but it's a long commute so I would settle for *******. I'm leaving out the names, but I said I would settle for working for the local hospital group, which just so happens to be the three places I interviewed. The manager said it is out of her hands and she doesn't know if I have the job or not.

Never in a million years did I think this would come back to bite me in the butt. I am VERY careful about what I do on social media. No alcohol, no swearing, none of that. I am so upset. Now it's almost 7 months since I graduated, I thought I had a job, and I don't. I'm worried that I will never find a job. The more time that goes by the more nervous I am and the less confident I feel I would make a good nurse.

Which leads me to my next question... Is there anything I can do while I am waiting for a job? I'd volunteer my time if it meant I could use and learn some skills.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

The first thing I would do while interviewing is take down my FB site altogether. Because they can go back and some do a long way......

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

This problem is not so much fb but the fact that you appear not to have any privacy settings turned on. How is it that someone you are not a "friend" with can look at your fb page in so much detail? If you don't know how to block your page then I think you should consider shutting it down.

[DoeRN]

I would delete the fb account. And any other similar social sites where you can be looked up by your name.

[Stephieee]

I deactivated my account, immediately

[Stephieee]

It was a friend who posted on my wall, and I commented, my settings were such that only people on my friends list can see posts on my wall by friends. But people can get into accounts regardless. I am not sure how it works in hospitals but my friend works as a police officer in a school and can see anyone's account and information regardless of their privacy settings without needing to be their friend. I tried to find the comment, but it is a year old and I couldnt even find it myself. I dont know how they did, but they did.

[DoeRN]

I haven't had fb in over 3 years so I'm sure it has changed. Maybe they went to your account and was able to search the hospital name? I'm not sure how it can be done. But good call on deleting the account.

[emerjensee]

Yikes! This freaks me out! I really enjoy my facebook as all of my family is long distance and I have a daughter that they love to get regular updates on....

I'll be sure to go and review my privacy settings again!!

-emerjensee

[citylights89, BSN, RN]

It was a friend who posted on my wall, and I commented, my settings were such that only people on my friends list can see posts on my wall by friends. But people can get into accounts regardless. I am not sure how it works in hospitals but my friend works as a police officer in a school and can see anyone's account and information regardless of their privacy settings without needing to be their friend. I tried to find the comment, but it is a year old and I couldnt even find it myself. I dont know how they did, but they did.

That sounds like hacking. Is that even legal?

[Snowbird17]

Wow. That is a bummer! I have admit I turned down a couple nannies for my baby after scoping their FB page. That being said, your post was pretty benign. No one wants a long commute, what's wrong with admitting it. I doubt whatever unintended damage can be undone, but am glad the hiring manager was upfront with you so you could prevent it from impacting future opportunities.

Have you applied to other places outside of that hospital network? I would start there, even if the commute is longer than you would like or it is not your ideal job. Get some experience, then apply back with that hospital group PRN. With experience, I am betting they would either take a chance on giving you a PRN gig (very minimal training=low cost to hire), or they will have forgotten about it. If you can get in their door PRN in a couple years, it is an easy transition to fulltime once you show you are committed to working there long term. Or you could work with a current employee who can vouch for you if needed.

Also, I doubt they hacked. When FB converted to timeline, it made almost all posts public, unless you specifically changed it to private. Poor timing, but perhaps all part of a bigger plan!

So sorry, they are way more appropriate reasons for not hiring someone!

[Enthused RN, BSN, RN]

Can you temporarily suspend your account until background checks are complete? Or you can just change your name on your facebook to a fake name or a nick name so they don't find you?

I'm going to heed your advice, OP. Come job application time, I may suspend, delete, or change my name on facebook ... and that's only because I've been on facebook since 2005 when I was a freshman in college. Who knows what I posted back then?!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

They hold your page when you end it for a time period so you can re-institute it later if you want.