Importance of Social Media Checks

As technology and social media continue to become the center point of our lives, both in business and pleasure, it is important for hiring managers to understand the importance of social media checks.  When you conduct background checks on your potential hires, a social media check should be included.

What should you look for when you do a social media check?  While every business will look for different aspects of the job candidates posting habits, it is important to remember that although every employee is not in the spotlight for the company, they still represent the company. 

Here are a few things to look for when you do a social media check:

• Posting habits of your candidates can reveal a lot about the person’s personality.  Often, those that are vociferous posting on social media, are often outspoken in everything they do.  Do you want an employee that will speak their mind, or someone that will accept the norm and speak up?
• It is sometimes difficult to tell in just one interview if a candidate has an addiction problem or has harassment issues.  However, both of these, typically, can be seen via their social media posts.
• If you are looking for candidates that take an interest in their community and volunteer, their social media posts are another great way to determine their level of involvement. 

Culture and making the right choice in your hire is important.  While it is often hard to determine if a candidate will be a cultural fit, you can take out some of the guess work by checking their social media posts. 

While these social media checks should not be the end all of your decision in hiring the candidate, they will give you a glimpse at the person you are considering hiring.  Use the information you glean wisely, and remember to not cross the discrimination line.


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