With the supply of job applicants far out numbering the amount of open positions, employers can be very particular in who they hire. To this end, nearly every employer has a physiological test they use to gauge the fitness of job applicants. In addition, most companies have you sign a waiver authorizing them to perform a background check.
A contentious issue of late has been the use of credit checks being run on prospective employees. Congress has conducted inquiries into the practice, while Oregon has banned it altogether, and Illinois is considering following suit. The issue might come up in Maryland next session.
With all the free information we are willing to share with the world, you have to wonder why would a company spend all this money? Yes, we finally have proof of just how reckless some people can be with their lives. As Forrest Gump so eloquently puts it, "Stupid is as stupid does."
The same incriminating evidence divorce lawyers have found so easy to find is now being accessed by businesses as a screening tool to weed out applicants. If you do not have anything that could be considered questionable behavior on your social networking accounts, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, it may help you land a position.
If however, that picture of you passed out with a goofy smile on your face, Mickey Mouse ears on your head, a bottle of Captain Morgan in one hand, and a beer in the other is floating around somewhere, you may want to have it removed. If you posted it yourself, removing it is a fairly simple process. If it was posted by someone else, and they refuse to purge it from their page, contact the site's administrator, and tell them you want the picture removed.
Also, watch what you say when conversing on social networks. If you rant about Company X's products, then apply for a job at Company X a year later, don't be surprised if you don't get a call back. The same goes for posting YouTube videos.
While social networking sites are a great way to keep up with family, friends, and others, they can also act as a public record of who you are, good, bad, or indifferent. Even an innocuous comment to a friend online could be seen differently by hiring managers.
Finally, think of social networking and alcohol as you would driving. Neither combination is good, and can only lead to trouble.
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