Dear Kathy,
Using Twitter and Facebook to evaluate job candidates? If so,
then you are not alone.
More than ever, employers are relying heavily on social media
like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to source and prescreen
talent. And with good reason. Professional and social
networks provide direct, instant, and cost-effective access
to information on millions of job seekers.
But with that access comes responsibility--namely, to respect
candidates' rights during the screening process. Screening
out potential employees based solely upon what you glean from
social media leaves you open to potential discrimination charges.
So protect yourself and your organization by incorporating
these 10 Do's and Don'ts into your social media recruitment
strategy.
Best Regards,
June Liberty
Johnson & Hill |
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This Month's Solution:
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The Challenge:
Avoiding the legal risks of social media screening.
The 60 Second Solution:
10 Do's and Don'ts for using social
networks to assist in candidate selection
Do:
- Inform a candidate that you have collected personal information
about him.
- Explain the purpose of gathering that information.
- Tell the candidate who else will be privy to that information.
- Only collect personal information that is necessary for your
business. This point is particularly relevant for the type of
information shared on social media sites (much of which is irrelevant
to a candidate's employment history or ability to perform job duties).
- Use the information you've collected only for good purposes.
- Formalize a policy within your organization for the legal
and ethical use of social media as a candidate research tool.
- Realize that a job candidate is legally entitled to see notes
made about them during the recruitment screening process.
Don't:
- Rely solely on the information gathered from social media to
screen a candidate. Use a variety of sources, including
traditional references, to develop a comprehensive picture of a
candidate's character, professional reputation, and abilities.
- Use a candidate's "personal" online data to assess his
professional capability. While social networks offer a convenient
way to find out a little more about someone, personal information
should never be used as a basis for screening.
- Intentionally expose yourself to information that you shouldn't
have access to in a properly constructed application or interview
(e.g., identifiers such as religion, race, pregnancy, age,
and sexual orientation that may be revealed through social media).
Once you've learned this information, you can't pretend you
don't know it.
Need help finding and screening top-notch talent?
Call Johnson & Hill today at 413-746-3535.
We would be happy to help you find your next star employee!
Click here for a print-friendly version of this month's 60 Second
Solution. |
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