Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using social media as a research tool about employers using Social Media to help them evaluate job applicants.? What’s one thing you would change in your social media presence if you were looking for a job, and why?

Answer 1

• Social media is used by employers to screen the candidate for hiring process,since so many people today have joined Twitter,Facebook,Linkedin etc.that employers consider social media as a quick way to find information about the candidate.
• A traditional resume has small amounts of information in a summary,but social media helps employers explore much larger amounts of information about a candidate's personality,work,interests etc.Some candidates even use their social media accounts to present their work, giving employers an initial small preview of their professional abilities.
• A normal recruitment process takes a long time,social media saves time of the employers giving them access to much more information required for hiring purposes.But,the flip side is the information seen on social media about a candidate's personality,could be quite contradictory to what one might see when they have face to face interview.
• Some people are more straightforward and direct on social media in their opinions,and behave differently in person.So this information might lead to a wrong decision to hire someone,if a discriminatory personality is seen.
• Also,even if it is considered a part of a formal process of recruitment,privacy concerns can be an issue.Although the internet is a public realm, but some people might feel uncomfortable with employers checking on their accounts, as they consider it to be something which is personal.
• Even accuracy of such information is debatable.Using it as a hiring tool makes it easier for employers,bit sometimes gauging a personality becomes difficult,since people do change,so even the information found also keeps changing about the person.So it might be helpful in background checks but sometimes the information can be wrong and can lead to hiring wrong people for the job damaging the company's reputation.
• If I want employers to look for me on social media,I would just make myself available only on professional sites,like,Linkedin,and list down all my work experiences from past to present.Keep updating my information and share information which is necessary for professional purposes.
• On Linkedin,one can provide information about their personal interests as well,and I make sure that my personal interests are honest and reflect my true personality rather than something else which I am not.