We all know that in developed countries, employers tend to research job candidates\u2019 social media activity when trying to fill a position. In the Caribbean, and based on recent articles published in Jamaica, the practice may not be as clear-cut. Here, we highlight a few considerations that may point to the impact of social media activity on recruitment.<\/em><\/p>\n
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In The Gleaner newspaper in Jamaica last week, there were two separate articles discussing whether an individual\u2019s social media postings can affect their employment prospects. Based on the views expressed, it appears that the jury is still out.<\/p>\n
(Source:\u00a0 The Gleaner<\/a>)<\/p>\n
Qualifications and experience are still key<\/h3>\n
Off the bat, it is important to emphasise that possessing the requested qualifications and experience for a particular job vacancy, tend to be crucial in order to be shortlisted for an interview, or for further consideration. If you do not satisfy the basic job requirements, but somehow you have a very active and positive social media image, the odds are your application will not go much further.<\/p>\n
Essentially, the requested qualifications and experience can be thought of as gating criteria in the recruitment process. Once those have been satisfied, all of other skills, experience, hobbies, etc., you possess, and similar to your social media presence, would be secondary, and consequently, can enhance (or undermine) the professional image you are trying to present.<\/p>\n
One\u2019s social media presence may be more important in positions or companies that have some visibility<\/h3>\n
Second, it is likely that the extent to which companies might research a job prospect\u2019s social media activity may be related to the position for which s\/he is being considered, and the nature and overall visibility of the firm. Factors that could trigger a closer examination of a job candidate\u2019s social media presence might include:<\/p>\n
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- for senior positions, in which individuals will possess considerable authority<\/li>\n
- for public-facing positions, such as public relations or communications<\/li>\n
- in a highly corporate or conservative workplace, such as law and accounting firms, or financial institutions<\/li>\n
- for businesses that tend to be highly customer-centric<\/li>\n
- in firms that have an international footprint, and to some degree may need to maintain basic and consistent recruiting practices across the entire organisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
However, it ought to be noted that one or more of the above factors might be at play in any given situation. It may ultimately boil down the organisation trying to proactively manage the risk of exposure or embarrassment, by trying to undertake a comprehensive due diligence exercise during the recruitment stage.<\/p>\n
Generally, we tend to research everything, why not a job prospect<\/h3>\n
Finally, as much as the focus of the articles in The Gleaner newspaper was on social media, the truth of the matter is that to some degree, we have all gotten into the habit of researching everything on Google. The exercise of researching \u2013 and checking more than one source \u2013 is all about us trying to learn more about something. So why shouldn\u2019t that habit get transferred into the workplace, and into the hiring process?<\/p>\n
Further, although social media might be the lowest common denominator \u2013 since almost everyone has at least one social media account \u2013 it should also be noted that other avenues for research exist. For example, articles that have been published on a candidate or includes (or mentions) the candidate might be useful, along with articles that the candidate (him\/herself) has published, and presentations s\/he has delivered.<\/p>\n
Some of those options might be more evident for individuals who are applying for senior or public-facing positions, or those who have made a concerted effort to build their personal\/professional brand. However, the bottom-line is that employers might be increasingly inclined to research job candidates, if only to get a better feel of who they are, but more importantly, to get a better sense of whether or not, or the extent to which they might be a good fit for their organisation.<\/p>\n
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image credits:\u00a0 (Tracy Le Blanc, Pexels<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"