Tips For Social Media Screening

Most social media accounts are owned and operated by individuals. Between one-third and one-half of the global population has at least one account on a social media platform.

Businesses often use social media to peddle their products, promote them, and keep in touch with how often they’re being mentioned on the world wide web. They also use social media to screen candidates for job positions they’ve started taking applications for.

While looking at applicants’ social media pages might seem incredibly simple, all employers should be mindful of adhering to certain steps. Following are some of the most important steps for succeeding in social media screening.

Don’t Follow Or Friend Applicants

As with many things in life, business and personal relationships shouldn’t be mixed. Many people don’t even like doing business with family members, neighbors, or friends, as bad feelings could erupt between the two parties.

When you look at applicants’ social media pages, don’t friend or follow them. If they accept your request, not only does it place the two of you in an awkward position, it could even be considered a serious privacy violation.

Always Look To Public, Not Private, Information

Just as you likely aren’t OK with employers digging up your private information, applicants vying for a spot at your business likely wouldn’t be accepting of you digging up their personal, private, sensitive information.

As such, never look to any private sources of information revealing sensitive information of applicants. You can prevent this from happening by never adding or following any applicants on all social media platforms.

Never Ask For Applicants’ Usernames, Passwords, And Other Login Credentials

Would you like any other person than yourself logging onto your social media pages? Your answer was probably a resounding, firm “no.” As such, never ask applicants for information regarding how to access their private social media accounts.

Asking for such usernames and passwords can result in applicants becoming uninterested in taking a position at your business, and even learning to distrust your organization and its constituents.

Besides, many states make it illegal for employers to ask applicants for email, social media, and other programs’ login credentials.

Maintain Consistency In Which Platforms You Use To Screen

Social media screening is unique in that you might have to bounce across handfuls of social platforms to find all of your applicants’ web presences.

It’s a good idea to look cross three to five of the world’s most popular social media sites for each applicant. If their profiles don’t show up on that list, move onto the next candidate.

Failing to maintain consistency in deciding which platforms to look for applicants’ information on can result in your organization unfairly gathering troves of data that could make certain candidates look bad, and result in other candidates having absolutely zero information regarding them turn up on the Internet.

Even some of the most prominent names in social media screening, like Fama, make sure to never make this mistake.

Make Sure To Tell Them What’s Up

Withholding the fact that you’re looking to social media to gather information on your job applicants is a bad idea.

Make sure to disclose this information to them in writing, or at least through email. Telling them in person can’t be proved later on.