The recruitment process has certainly
evolved since Mrs Doubtfire last applied for a job.
When law student Katherine Buskariol,21, was preparing for her imminent clerkship applications, she decided that she would need to examine her online footprint with a fine-toothed comb.
She proceeded to delete a number of
inappropriate status updates and photographs in the realisation that an
increasing number of employers will now search potential employees on the
internet before they decide to hire them.
“I believe that in the professional
world, employers will look at that kind of stuff,” said Buskariol. “A photo or
an inappropriate comment might be the difference.”
Spokesman for SEEK Australia, Peter Osborne, concedes
that this trend is becoming increasingly prevalent, revealing to the ABC in March that job recruiters ‘could be
rejected’ if they have inappropriate content online:
"It is becoming more common for recruiters and
prospective employers to use social and online media to check the profile and
credentials of candidates - after all, the internet is a rich source of
information," said Osborne.
Employment
website ‘CareerBuilder’ commissioned a study earlier this year conducted by Harris
Interactive and found that 37 percent of hiring managers use social networking sites to research applicants and a further 11
percent would consider to do so in the future. UK business psychology firm OPP conducted
independent research and have argued that around 56% of employers check an applicant's Facebook, LinedIn and twitter. Of
the 2,000 people surveyed by Harris Interactive, over 65 percent of that group
using Facebook as their primary resource, 12 percents were specifically looking
for reasons NOT to hire that person and 65 percent used the resource to see if
the applicant "presents him- or herself professionally."
These
figures may appear inherently disconcerting - but it is a reality
that in the contemporary digital age, employers will now explore all avenues in
order to assess the suitability of a potential employee.
In
March 2012 Forbes.com revealed that an alarming number
of employers in the US were even requesting access to their
applicants’ Facebook pages as a condition of employment.
As
a result, the U.S Senate introduced the 'Password Protection Act 2012.' This Act now prohibits an employer
from:
“Forcing prospective or current employees to
provide access to their own private account as a condition of employment and …
from discriminating or retaliating against a prospective or current employee
because that employee refuses to provide access to a password-protected
account.”
Although
Peter Osborne argues that there have been no reported incidents of this
occuring in Australia, it highlights the potential impact for social media to
mould and shape contemporary employment and recruitment strategies.
Alex Stuart, Managing partner of Stuart
Lawyers, concedes that he will always screen potential legal clerks and
employers on LinkedIn prior to hiring them.
“Yes, we definitely search
linked in,” said Stuart. “We search it because it is a good tool; it helps us
ascertain if they have any professional backgrounds.’
Although Katherine Buskariol may be
conscious of the increasing tendency of employers to ‘screen’ potential
candidates, the reality is that a number of students are still unaware of the
potential impact a seemingly innocent (yet mildly inappropriate) post or an
appearance on 'Embarrassingnightclubphotos.com' may
have on their employment prospects.
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This is why the ‘Traceable’ web
feature will be so valuable for students; it will provide case studies,
statistics and comprehensive interviews with employers and recruitment
agencies to examine the potential impact of our online footprint. Through
including a series of interviews, profiles, a 'How to' section and a number
of informative and engaging videos such as the one below, 'Traceable' will
explore how individuals can construct and project a positive
identity through social media.
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I
created a Facebook post early last week asking anyone to contact me if they
had any adverse experiences with social media, specifically if social media
had ever inhibited their prospects of securing a job. An alarming
number of people contacted me via personal message, sharing their personal
experiences. Mike Taylor, 23, had reached the last interview stage with a high-profile firm when a recruitment agent notified him that they could not hire him on the basis of an inappropriate post and picture on Facebook. Alike many other students, he did not realise the implications of a slightly distasteful profile pricture.
This
‘Facebook’ experiment was an extremely valuable one, for it reinforced the
importance of our web feature to students and potential employees.
‘Traceable’ will be interactive and engaging; it will include a forum thread
in order to encourage two-way discussion, providing an opportunity for users to ask questions, share tips and stories concerning the management of their online reputation.
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