Watch What You Post On Facebook, Says Talent Ocean

02-Aug-2011 | News-Press Release

The advent of social networking sites has completely changed the face of virtual communication and now it seems to be revolutionising the recruitment process as well, says Talent Ocean, the online talent management division of workforce management solutions provider the Kelly Group.

 

Online marketing manager Jennifer Mathews, says that although social networking sites, such as Facebook, can be a very effective communication tool, it is important to bear in mind that potential employers may use jobseekers’ profiles to determine whether or not they are suitable candidates.

 

“As a result, job seekers should therefore be cautious with what they post on these sites, as the consequences of divulging too much personal information could be dire,” says Mathews.

 

Mathews says the ethics of using social networking sites as an additional screening mechanism are debatable. “We believe that the value a candidate can offer in his/her new position should be the sole criteria for their employment, not how they conduct themselves in their private lives,” says Mathews.

 

The Kelly Group relies purely on traditional recruitment best practices, such as credit history investigations, criminal verification, qualifications and references, to ascertain a potential candidate’s suitability for a post.

 

The most popular social networking site used in South Africa is Facebook, which has more than 50 million active users worldwide and an average of 250 000 new registrations per day. According to TechCrunch, a weblog dedicated to reviewing Internet products and companies, more than 600 000 of Facebook’s users are South African.

 

A study done by the New Jersey Institute of Technology on the awareness of privacy when using social networking sites showed that Facebook members revealed substantial amounts of information about themselves and were not aware of their privacy options or even who could view their profiles.

 

Mathews suggests taking note of the following tips for privacy protection on Facebook and other similar websites. Jobseekers should control who can see and search for their profiles and personal information. This can be done by simply selecting which people or groups can have access to their profiles, including their pictures and videos. This option also allows individuals to block any corporate links or networks.

 

“You can also choose to customise any of the privacy options offered by Facebook,” says Mathews.

http://www.talentocean.co.za

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