What are your thoughts about using MySpace, Face Book, and other social websites to attract and research possible candidates from the millineum generation?
I recently read an article about Googling candidates, checknig them out on networking sites, etc. The problem is there will occasionally be info you shouldn't know (e.g., age, religion, etc.) and information that simply isn't true. The article's author suggested staying away from such sites and methods. I have a little indigestion over the whole thing because one can claim you Google candidates or look them up on social networking sites whether you recruit there or not. Of course, that claim will be harder to sustain if such sites are barred by your firewall and that may be fig leaf enough. Personally, I think it's a bad idea because once you say the Company condones going to such a website, the website's actual use can be questioned. I can see it now:
"Isn't it true, Mr. Recruiter, that you searched for information on my candidate on MySpace?"
"No ma'am! We only look at messages posted by others on our own MySpace page and we never go digging into the personal and possibly false information posted at other locations on the site."
I am in agreement with TXHRguy -- the use of MySpace and Faceface for researching has some inherent problems associated with it. In my opinion, that's a slippery slope you'd want to stay clear of.
I agree with the other posters that this is not a good idea. As much as you can probably learn lots of things there is just too much of a risk. This is a lawyer's field day! Also there are just certain things about my employees and what they do on their off work time that I don't want to know about!!
All of you make really good points. Who wants to know what there employees are doing on there off time. Now working at a small business compared to a large corporation i think its another story. At a small business some times you have no choice but i hear about what some did on ther time off. Being a HR personm you pretend you didn't hear it. Yeah i know thats where HR come in but yeah. Over all i agree stay away form thoses site they will only get you in trouble that you business cant afford.
"...Employment law in most states provides little protection to workers who are punished for their online postings, said George Lenard, an employment lawyer at Harris Dowell Fisher & Harris in St. Louis. The main exceptions are workers who are covered by collective bargaining agreements or by special protections for public-sector employees; members of these groups can be dismissed only “for cause.” The rest of us are “at will” employees, holding on to our jobs only at the whim of our employers, and thus vulnerable.....
MR. LENARD said last week that protections for employees for off-duty behavior varied widely from state to state. Colorado and Minnesota have laws explicitly protecting all employees from discrimination for engaging in any lawful activity off premises during nonworking hours. In other states, like Pennsylvania, where Ms. Snyder lives, such protection doesn’t exist."
While I agree it is prudent to be careful about how such information is used, at this point, in many states it is not illegal to use such information to make employment decisions. {Same argument as how much information is given out by companies for job references....many people believe that the company can only give out specific information. While untrue, a lot of people are under a wrong assumption}
I attended a recruitment seminar at Texas A&M University yesterday. It was a good seminar. Part of the program consisted of a student panel. One participant asked the kids how they felt about employers using facebook for advertisement and recruitment. Every student said it was a major turn off.
I'm glad to hear that, I never thought it was a good idea myself.
Comments
It's Pandora's box.
I recently read an article about Googling candidates, checknig them out on networking sites, etc. The problem is there will occasionally be info you shouldn't know (e.g., age, religion, etc.) and information that simply isn't true. The article's author suggested staying away from such sites and methods. I have a little indigestion over the whole thing because one can claim you Google candidates or look them up on social networking sites whether you recruit there or not. Of course, that claim will be harder to sustain if such sites are barred by your firewall and that may be fig leaf enough. Personally, I think it's a bad idea because once you say the Company condones going to such a website, the website's actual use can be questioned. I can see it now:
"Isn't it true, Mr. Recruiter, that you searched for information on my candidate on MySpace?"
"No ma'am! We only look at messages posted by others on our own MySpace page and we never go digging into the personal and possibly false information posted at other locations on the site."
I agree with the other posters that this is not a good idea. As much as you can probably learn lots of things there is just too much of a risk. This is a lawyer's field day! Also there are just certain things about my employees and what they do on their off work time that I don't want to know about!!
Interesting article I found while researching employee privacy for off hours conduct for another HR forum:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/business/30digi.html?pagewanted=print
"...Employment law in most states provides little protection to workers who are punished for their online postings, said George Lenard, an employment lawyer at Harris Dowell Fisher & Harris in St. Louis. The main exceptions are workers who are covered by collective bargaining agreements or by special protections for public-sector employees; members of these groups can be dismissed only “for cause.” The rest of us are “at will” employees, holding on to our jobs only at the whim of our employers, and thus vulnerable.....
MR. LENARD said last week that protections for employees for off-duty behavior varied widely from state to state. Colorado and Minnesota have laws explicitly protecting all employees from discrimination for engaging in any lawful activity off premises during nonworking hours. In other states, like Pennsylvania, where Ms. Snyder lives, such protection doesn’t exist."
While I agree it is prudent to be careful about how such information is used, at this point, in many states it is not illegal to use such information to make employment decisions. {Same argument as how much information is given out by companies for job references....many people believe that the company can only give out specific information. While untrue, a lot of people are under a wrong assumption}
I attended a recruitment seminar at Texas A&M University yesterday. It was a good seminar. Part of the program consisted of a student panel. One participant asked the kids how they felt about employers using facebook for advertisement and recruitment. Every student said it was a major turn off.
I'm glad to hear that, I never thought it was a good idea myself.