It’s not the first time I’ve heard stories of employers researching applicants using Facebook. Or the extremists, who fired the employee because he found out the employee is a party-holic after browsing her profile.
But come on. Can you seriously judge a person this way? Already employers know a resume is a piece of paper the applicant had most likely buttered up. And when you go for an interview, applicants are expected to dress formally because it’s the expectation. So, what’s real?
Just because she’s going to party may not always mean she’s going to come in late and sleep in the office. Just because he’s a great farmer in Facebook doesn’t mean he’s a Facebook gaming addict.
I personally think judging a person by their Facebook profile is too extreme. Heck, if you wanted to do it like that, don’t get anyone to work for you. Or better, buy a factory and manufacture robots to work for you.
Source: Tim Burton’s 9 The Movie
Right now, I believe Facebook can be used to assess a person. But not judge them. If you continue judging a person from Facebook or any social network, it’s like asking them “God, should I hire this person?”
And by the way, there’s a professional network called LinkedIn which focuses on the skillset and working experience of an individual. You might not see the applicant’s friends but if the applicant was endorsed or recommended by his past employers.
So stop using Facebook to judge an applicant. It’s irrelevant unless you hire them for the real person they are.
Imagine if Albert Einstein was on Facebook and this was his profile picture. Would you have hired him?