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Is It Your Business to Check on Potential Hire's Online Portfolio?

Tristan Anwyn

May 22, 2015

Should you be looking to social media when it comes to assessing potential new hires for your small business?

A survey by online job search site CareerBuilder suggests that 51% of hiring managers have rejected potential employees based on information they've found on social media. To that end, there are plenty of horror stories on the internet of people who've lost their jobs after an ill-conceived social media post.

But how much does what candidates do on social media matter? What should you be looking for, and what pitfalls should you be wary of?

Look Out for Red Flags

There's no doubt that social media can throw up some red flags that you, as a hirer, will want to be aware of.

For example, if a search on social media throws up rampant sexism, racism or bigotry, you might naturally pause before hiring that person. The same goes for constant badmouthing of past or current employers.

Everyone vents sometimes, but be wary of someone who badmouths the people they work with as a matter of course.

Other things you might want to take under consideration include lying about employment or qualifications, and general communication abilities such as spelling and grammar. 

The information you find on social media shouldn't be taken without context (more on that in a moment), but social media can certainly give you a feel for your potential hire and how they might fit into your team.

Look Out for Genuinely Useful Information

When discussing using social media for hiring, it's easy to think of the kind of information outlined above, and while those red flags are worth looking for, don't forget that social media has hiring applications beyond that.

As the article "The Power and Impact of an Online Portfolio" points out, we live in a "show, don't tell" world. Social media is a useful way for potential hires to show you what they're made of.

From a beautiful online portfolio to genuinely helpful contributions to a discussion on LinkedIn, make use of social media to check out the achievements of your potential new hires.

Be Wary of Information That Could Be Used to Discriminate

What's seen on social media can't be unseen, and it's worth bearing that in mind when looking up potential new hires.

In particular, be aware of the risk of discriminating against an employee.

If you discover they hold religious views you don't agree with, or it becomes clear that you knew information such as their sexuality or nationality that could have been used to discriminate against them, you could find yourself in hot water.

Although the information on social media is there for public viewing, it's important that your business is careful as to where and how you use it.

Be Wary of Getting the Wrong Impression

One of the main things to be aware of when using social media in the hiring process; is the very real risk of getting a false impression or taking information out of context.

One badly spelled post or drunken picture does not a bad employee make.

Remember that many social media posts were not made with the intention of showing off the poster's employability.

When dealing with social media information, keep in mind that the information you are relying on isn't verified. 

It's clear that there are pros and cons to using social media when researching potential new hires.

Social media can give you a useful snapshot of a candidate, but do bear in mind that it is just that, a snapshot, and use it in conjunction with verifiable information such as qualifications and business track record.

Social media can be a part of the picture when assessing new employees, but don't make it the whole picture.

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