Social Media Background Screening

Online screening methods that involve social media and social networking sites are used for employment or screening purposes. Employers may use social media background screenings to supplement traditional background checks and to gain information about candidates' character, behaviour, and professionalism outside the formal structure of job applications and interviews. Although social media screening can be very helpful in judging candidates’ fittingness to a job position, it is important for the companies to stay within the legal and ethical framework in order to prevent privacy breaches and discrimination.

Example

A hiring manager performs a social media background screening on one of the job candidates that have made it to the last stages of the hiring process for a marketing job. The manager who is in use of the professional networks like LinkedIn and industry-specific forums will check the work experience, skills and professional affiliations of the candidate. Moreover, the manager also goes through the candidate's public profiles on diverse social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to examine their online presence, communication style, and compatibility with the organization's core values and culture. While the applicant's qualifications and experience meet the job requirements, the manager finds the candidate's social media profiles troubling, including hurtful comments about the previous employers and unprofessional behavior. According to the results, the manager is inclined to be prudent and may want to ask additional questions or do additional interviews to clear up doubts that arose from the social media background screening process.