Obviously, this is not a new topic- but the info I'm including came from a "magazine" (very, very thin) today...
I got my copy of Nurse.com..... I found this interesting in light of the trouble people are having finding jobs, or after leaving unsatisfactory jobs... I have no idea if any of this plays a role in what people are experiencing- just found it interesting. :)
According to the article, a study in 2009 of employers (didn't pertain specifically to nursing, but all jobs), 45% of employers use social media to screen job applicants....35% said the info they found led them to NOT hire someone . Some examples (can also go to Nurse.com to see the whole article) of things that led to not hiring someone included:
-Provocative/inappropriate photos or information
-Information about drinking or drug use (could concerns about drug screens be included? IDK)
-Criticism of past employers, clients, or co-workers
-POOR communication skills (spelling, grammar, language usage, vocabulary would be examples)
-Discriminatory comments - of any type (article didn't give specifics)
-Misrepresentation of qualifications
-Shared confidential information from an ex-employer
While this may be "personal" information, as soon as it hits a social media site, it's up for grabs, and can be used.
I focused on this part of the article- there is a lot more. I'm not sure how they narrow down who belongs to what user name- or if they go with suspected info by which they can reasonably deduce information.
I did not write this :) Basically, it's saying that if you don't want what you say about a former employer, co-workers, or patients/clients , or your questionable extra-curricular activities known by future/past employers- don't post it :)
I can understand why employers would take advantage of social networking sites- it's free info that doesn't get them in hot water.
It took me about 5 minutes to weed through links to find these- there are PAGES of related info (not all direct info sources).
When you give your e-mail, telephone number, and the usual birthdate, and social security number to employers, they have all they need to find whatever they want....
From an article I read a couple months ago( it was on yahoo, can't find the link), FB gives access to firms that carry out background seaches on potential employees for hiring companies. So even if you have very private settings on your facebook page, these companies have access to infomation that say a coworker or employer cannot see.
So in short FB doesnt give your information to individuals but to established firms who then turn it over to employers. The article started out by stating that there are companies being established just for the purpose of storing every information put out on facebook, and they interviewed the CEO of one of the companies. How do they get the information to store if FB doesnt give them access?
So in short your employer is not the enemy/bad guy, its FB that makes you believe you can have private settings that makes you feel secure enough to post things. In short, if you dont want it to be seen, dont POST it.
Oh no, I would never want any prospective employers to know that I enjoy the outdoors, photography, dogs, and gardening! How do I make sure they can never find this incriminating info??????
Obviously, this is not a new topic- but the info I'm including came from a "magazine" (very, very thin) today...
I got my copy of Nurse.com..... I found this interesting in light of the trouble people are having finding jobs, or after leaving unsatisfactory jobs... I have no idea if any of this plays a role in what people are experiencing- just found it interesting. :)
According to the article, a study in 2009 of employers (didn't pertain specifically to nursing, but all jobs), 45% of employers use social media to screen job applicants....35% said the info they found led them to NOT hire someone . Some examples (can also go to Nurse.com to see the whole article) of things that led to not hiring someone included:
-Provocative/inappropriate photos or information
-Information about drinking or drug use (could concerns about drug screens be included? IDK)
-Criticism of past employers, clients, or co-workers
-POOR communication skills (spelling, grammar, language usage, vocabulary would be examples)
-Discriminatory comments - of any type (article didn't give specifics)
-Misrepresentation of qualifications
-Shared confidential information from an ex-employer
While this may be "personal" information, as soon as it hits a social media site, it's up for grabs, and can be used.
I focused on this part of the article- there is a lot more. I'm not sure how they narrow down who belongs to what user name- or if they go with suspected info by which they can reasonably deduce information.
I did not write this :) Basically, it's saying that if you don't want what you say about a former employer, co-workers, or patients/clients , or your questionable extra-curricular activities known by future/past employers- don't post it :)
I can understand why employers would take advantage of social networking sites- it's free info that doesn't get them in hot water.
This sort of stuff aggrivates me. I don't have anything to hide either, but that doesn't mean I want my potiental employer to be able to judge what he/she thinks is appropriate behavior based on my facebook page. Should I have to worry about some company judging me as a drunk based on the fact that I posted a picture of me and my best girlfriends drinking a margarita on a girls night out? Why should someone have to be concerned about posting the fact that they tried pot when they were in highschool or a myrid of other 'small' incidents that employers can use to judge a interviewee as a poor applicant.
Why should we be afraid to live because of what our job may think about us. If my job record shows that I'm the kind of employee that shows up to work on time, does the job I'm there for adequatly, that I have the qualifications that the company requires...well that's all the company needs to know.
My time off is my time and social networking sights are part of my time away from work, which means that the two shouldn't be connected. Most employers already have a policy that demands that employees don't publicly slander their employer, so I guess if that is found on a social networking sight then I can understand getting fired. But employers already get to verify our education, call previous employers to see if I'm subject for rehire, they are allowed to do background checks, and drug testing. I really think that is quite enough. But now they are getting to screen us for potiental personality issues with web pages that we use in our free time?! There are such things as personality tests, they can use one of those, but not my networking site!
Everyone is worried that the government is taking over our lives....well hello! It's actually big business whose monies control the government which are taking over our lives. We really needed to stand up and say no!
oh god, i can just imagine! Many people use their personal emails when applying to jobs too. Everyone should have a separate emails JUST for job searches!
You mean my personal email of [email protected] won't land me a job?
Yes, there are ways they can get around it...and I don't think that many people are aware of this but every single comment, post and picture you post on facebook is archived and can be recalled by facebook if they are asked to reproduce your stuff. I know this because of somethings that were posted (threatening) against one of my daughter's friends and the police can request a person's whole history on facebook...even if you delete it, it leaves a footprint and can be found when they do this.
Like I tell my teens....the internet is like a giant billboard....if you don't want people to know certain things about you, don't post it on there because some day it will bite you in the behind!
My personal philosophy is that we all lived without social media up until a few years ago, so there's no reason we can't continue to live in the pre-facebook days when you actually emailed your close friends, talked to them on the phone, or IM'd them rather than blasting your conversations out to the public on facebook or twitter. I am not on any social media like Facebook or Twitter where people use real names and pictures, the furthest I'll go is a site like this where I can have an anonymous username.
Social networking is what it is I guess.... I find it kind of creepy that employers would be that sneaky about finding out the lowdown on you though. I don't like peeping toms, hackers, etc. I guess ignorance is bliss :)
Call me crazy but I would think a criminal background check, drug test, and interview should be sufficient.
:confused:
xtxrn, ASN, RN
4,267 Posts
Three related links.....
http://www.myfreeemailsearch.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_6632532_cross_reference-names-telephone-numbers.html
http://www24.brinkster.com/alexweir/xreffaq.htm
It took me about 5 minutes to weed through links to find these- there are PAGES of related info (not all direct info sources).
When you give your e-mail, telephone number, and the usual birthdate, and social security number to employers, they have all they need to find whatever they want....