Should You Google Job Applicants?
Posted May 25th, 2015
Googling job applicants is becoming more and more common among employers. More than half now do it, according to a recent poll.
They do it for a number of reasons: a majority are just looking for more information about the candidate to show whether he or she is qualified for the job, others are looking to see what kind of online presence the person has, some want to see what other people are saying about the candidate, and some are looking for reasons not to hire the person.
The poll also found that about a third of hiring managers friend candidates on Facebook, and most job applicants accept it.
But human resource and legal experts are sounding the alarm over the practice of Googling applicants, cautioning that employers should not be doing this without putting the proper safeguards in place. By accessing online information without any filters, it is possible to see information that is considered protected in the hiring process – such things as medical history, religious preference, or family history. Legally, employers have no right to this information. They put themselves at risk of legal action down the road.
Human resource experts do encourage employers to go online to research potential employee backgrounds, but, they say, companies need to do it in the right way. They need to do it in a way that people involved in the hiring decision do not see protected information that could influence their decision.
One way to do this is by having someone who is not involved in the hiring process look at this information. This person would be familiar with the Equal Employment Opportunity rules and regulations. Then, this person can give a report to those who are part of the hiring committee, a report that has been screened to make sure no protected information is included, while including information that is pertinent – such as whether the candidate is badmouthing a former employer online, or posting other questionable information that shows lack of judgment.
Some legal experts also question whether it is a good idea for hiring managers to friend applicants on Facebook.
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