Video:Tips for Conducting a Social Network Check
with Pelpina TripSocial networks may be included in employee background checks. A potential job candidate's social network profiles may help make the final hiring decisions. Watch this About.com video for tips on conducting social network checks.See Transcript
Transcript:Tips for Conducting a Social Network Check
Hi, I’m Pelpina Trip, here for About.com. In this video, I’ll give you tips for conducting a social network check.
Employee Background Checks May Include Social Networks
Companies have used credit reports and criminal background checks to find out more about potential employees. Many now also conduct social network checks: browsing social network profiles of candidates. Often times, online profiles can be useful to confirm career-related information. When you conduct a social network check, you basically scrape the Internet for any content related to the potential employee which might stop you from hiring him or her.
Public vs. Private Social Networks
Search for the candidate’s name on search engines and see what social websites, posts and articles come up. By searching for a person’s name, employers can also screen social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ to find out more about potential candidates. If profiles are not set on private, they can be viewed to check job qualifications, peer recommendations, and postings about previous employers. If needed and possible, profiles can also be scanned for inappropriate posts or photos, such as the use of alcohol or drugs.
This could potentially be useful when trying to find out more about a candidate for a teaching position, for example. But keep in mind, that if the candidates’ profiles are set on private, information will be much more limited. For more hiring tips, visit careers.about.com. Thanks for watching!