Background checks on potential employees and job candidates are one of the most standard components of a hiring process. With the proliferation of social media and individuals using their accounts on social media to articulate their views and engage with others, social media checks are also fast becoming a significant component of the hiring and recruitment process. However, care must be taken in deploying this mechanism, as it can usher in room for bias. A good way to implement social media checks meaningfully is to start by understanding all that it entails. This primer offers all that you need to know about social media checks, how to conduct them, why they are used by employers, and some best practices.
What is a social media check?
A social media check is the process of evaluating and reviewing a job candidate or a potential employee’s social media and web presence. It is often done to ensure that they are an appropriate fit for a position and organizational culture.
Some employers tend to perform a quick evaluation of public profiles on major social media websites. Some others tend to go a bit deeper to read blogs, comment sections, and other traces of a candidate’s digital activity in detail. Usually, the insights one can gain from an individual’s social media presence can confirm details on a candidate, offer an idea of their worldviews, and give insights on how they conduct themselves.
Who should you conduct social media checks on?
A few years ago, social media checks were reserved for certain directorial positions like CXOs and VPs. This was because several of these employees had media-facing roles and they were associated with the brand and image of the company.
However, today, social media checks are done for senior employees beyond the C suite. This includes positions like senior managers, heads of departments and team leads.
Furthermore, social media checks for junior employees are typically skipped as the return on investment at this level tends to diminish.
Red flags you should look out for:
Typically, in a social media background check, some of the red flags that are useful to look for include discriminatory, racist, or sexist content, explicit content, potential illegal activity, poor communication, excessive complaining, badmouthing of prior employers and colleagues, and violent language or behavior on part of the potential job candidate.
Why are social media checks important?
As social media platforms typically operate as spaces where an individual expresses themselves, it offers a good overview of their views, conduct, behaviour, and interpersonal skills. Social media checks can also help understand who the candidate is connected to, perhaps to a background verification or reference check, in case there are reliable connections who can speak to a candidate’s character and credentials.
Social media background checks can also be specifically relevant to certain positions – more than others. For instance, where an employee’s views and positions can be interpreted as their organization’s stance or views, or where an employee is in a position of trust or holds a role that wields power and influence, their social media presence becomes relevant to the workplace.
Do you need your candidate’s consent to browse through their social media?
If the information of the candidate is not public, the social media check can only be conducted after the candidate consents to the process. If not, it can be considered a violation of their privacy. However, consent is not needed to search publicly available information about a candidate.
Seeking written consent prior to conducting a social media check is ideal. Employers must respect privacy laws and avoid trying to access private profiles and accounts.
Typically, any social media check can go as far back as the origins of the platform, but privacy settings may keep some of the content out of access. There is no yardstick for how far back a check should go: A good measure is to identify what you need to know and evaluate social media profiles accordingly.
The advantages and disadvantages of these checks
Social media checks can be very helpful for an organization, undoubtedly. However, it can also have a negative effect on a company and its applicants. Before determining and implementing a social media check policy, it is a good idea to weigh the pros and cons and identify whether or not to proceed.
The upside to conducting a social media background check are plenty:
- It helps identify cultural alignment and agreement in worldviews – such as values, goals, and character.
- It can help raise red flags and help identify any erratic or concerning behaviours or views that can point to potential liabilities for the business or cause friction among the staff.
- It can be useful in protecting the company’s image and reputation – an organization with a long-standing and strong reputation might best align with an employee whose views align with the organization.
The downside of conducting these checks is also worth noting:
- The potential for false information or false impressions is based on information that needs more contextual clarity.
- There may be some discrimination ensuing from conducting a social media check – any social media check must align with appropriate laws and regulations.
- Conducting social network checks can also have a negative impact on the employer’s brand – because it can feel like surveillance or spying, which individuals may not like or align with.
Getting your social media checks right
Social media checks have the potential to surface information that may otherwise not see the light of day. As an employer committed to maintaining the integrity of your workforce, the insights from a social media check can be especially handy in building and nurturing a team. In general, running an ethical process of conducting consent-based social media checks and paying attention to red flags as they surface is a powerful investment for the future of your workforce.