WHNetwork Blog

According to a study conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder.com, 45 percent of employers questioned are using social networks to screen job candidates, more than double from a year earlier, while another survey found that 22 percent of employers were researching potential hires on social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The study, which questioned 2,667 managers and human resource workers, found that 35 percent of employers decided not to offer a job to a candidate based on the content found on one of more of the sites.

Facebook was the most popular site for employers to checkout candidates, followed by LinkedIn and MySpace, with only 7% following job candidates on Twitter.

Over 50% of the participating employers said that photos that were provocative or in poor taste were the biggest factor contributing to a decision not to hire, while 44 percent of employers referenced drinking and drug use as contributing factors.

Other negative attributes included bad-mouthing of previous employers and co-workers and poor online communication skills.

Have you used social media to check up on employees or candidates? If so, have you fired, or not hired, based on what you saw? Let me know!

Do you need help with your social media strategy or training? Call me at 707-933-0687 or email me!


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