Paper ID: 362016311
Submitted on 10-14-2013 @ 2:10pm
Using Social Media in the Hiring Process
At first, researchers were amazed by how social networks are used in schools. However, the acceptance of social media in education organizations is no longer a big issue. Currently, much of the attention has been shifted to how social networks are being employed in the hiring process. Social media has become a significant player in today’s job search processes. Web sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn provide organizations with a glimpse of the person outside the boundaries of a résumé, an interview, or a cover letter (Smith, 2013).
This is the one of the reasons why most job seekers have become actively engaged in social networks and most organizations employ social network information to screen employees. Results provided by Lee Hecht Harrison, a career transaction and talent development consulting company, 48% of job seekers around the world are active social networkers on a daily basis; while 22% log on to their accounts only about three times a month and 11% say they do not use social media web sites at all (Smith, 2013). While this is not the only viable strategy for getting a job, the use of social media networks is becoming increasingly important. However, while most employers are eager to find the face behind the mask, the question that puzzles most researchers, is how ethical is it to hire employees based on social media information? What will happen when information that most people post on their social media accounts, mainly to be viewed by family or friends, is also viewed by potential employers? This question is important because most employers are eager to see the true picture of people they want introduce to their work environment but social networks may include information that is not essential in the hiring process.
Is it ethical to base a hiring decision on personal information found in social media?
More than 50% of...