As an HR professional, do you ever peruse a resume and wonder how you could learn more about that person?
Social media sites can be an excellent source for HR to acquire more information about their potential hires or current employees. They help turn a pristine resume into a three-dimensional character profile, usually adding an extra gleam to the polish, but occasionally highlighting flaws.
A rising number of HR professionals use social media searches when they screen job candidates, according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s recent study. Nearly half of these HR professionals cite the ability to determine work-related performance based on this information as one of the main reasons for their research.
Of the organizations participating in the 2015 study:
- 22% use social media screening.
- 43% review public social media profiles or perform online searches to screen job candidates.
- 24% always use screening for executive level hiring, and another 34% frequently screen. The percentage decreases for lower level jobs.
- 36% of organizations found something in their screening that caused them to disqualify a candidate from the position.
Keeping an eye on social media can help you key in on potential problems with your current staff, as well. Quickly spotting the leak of trade secrets, workplace violence, or negative language about your business keeps you ahead of the game and lets you take action before the words cause serious damage to your brand.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn may instantly come to mind when you think about a potential or current employee’s online presence, but he may also be active on blogs, commenting on news articles, or otherwise voicing his opinions in various online venues. Screening these sites could glean more information about someone’s true nature than what they may highlight in their resume, references, interview, or workplace behavior. On a positive note, it could reinforce that this is the right candidate for your job.
Adding this important piece of the puzzle to an employee’s background check could make a difference in the picture that your applicant paints of himself.
Though it may be difficult for a business to slog through all these websites for everyone working there—not to mention the bevy of applicants coveting positions—Social Media Information already has a staff of professionals devoted to this craft.
Social Media Information can help your HR department thoroughly understand the character of applicants and current employees through our Social Media Reports for Employment. Using our service to produce this research not only saves you valuable time, but it also gives you reassurance that you are selecting a candidate who will uphold the values of your company.
The SMI Employment Report follows the guidelines set forth in the Fair Credit Reporting Act. For more information about this service, contact Sales Director Mike Bosick.
