Recruiting issues on Social Media
THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS SOCIAL MEDIA CAN CAUSE FOR RECRUITERS
Social media is a critical component in today’s world, not just in consumers’ everyday lives, but also in hiring potential candidates. Whereas businesses once looked at paper resumes and considered on-site interviews to assess a candidate’s fit for a specific position. Now they will often look to social media to assess a potential candidate’s skills and experiences.
Certainly, it is understandable why companies do this. Social media is largely free to access for anyone, it provides changing, information that a paper resume and on-site interview never could. Many potential candidates are using social media in some way, shape, or form. Recruiters must be aware of when using such information to hire or deny a potential candidate.
Legal Issues
When recruiters use social media information to deny candidates for a position at a company, there are potential legal complications. If the recruiter denied a person based on his/her views (political, religious, environmental, etc.), that could lead to a discrimination lawsuit for a company. Especially if the candidate had the necessary background and/or experience to handle the position. This situation can especially be exacerbated if a candidate with less work experience and credentials is hired for the position instead.
Companies should utilize all of the possible information to make a good hiring decision. Candidates who are denied a position could potentially claim that non-relevant information on their social media profiles was the reason. Particularly if the candidate who was hired has less work experience and/or skills for the same position. Companies must be aware of this potential pitfall when utilizing social media information to evaluate candidates. Or they could face legal challenges that could damage their profitability and/or reputation.