The Bugaboo of Background Checks and Social Networks

A good many employers now monitor social networks both to see what their current employees are up to and as a background check for their preemployment screening program.    Some job applicants and employees are aware of this fact and are a little more judicious about what they post on social networks.   Others don’t seem to care and post some eye opening  remarks about wild drinking bouts and club dates, boyfriends, and girlfriends.

And some post about their employers.   They write about their bosses, past and present.   Not a good idea.   Since many employers will review the social networks as a background check to see what you are saying about your past employers, grousing openly about your job and bad  mouthing fellow employees and mangers, can cause you to be turned down for a position.   Whether this is fair or unfair, that is a matter of opinion.   But regardless of one’s personal sentiments, in a tough job market and with employers background checking social networks, you are reducing the odd of finding employment.

In this one case,  as posted in Yahoo News, a waitress was fired from her current job.  Why?  Because she went onto Facebook and complained about customers who stayed too long at their table, kept her working overtime, and only left what she considered a meager tip.    Apparently, the restaurant where she works has a policy about not disparaging customers on the social networks or in anyway embarrassing the restaurant itself.

Now we all love our social networking.  We like to receive information, keep in touch, and even contact those people who just texted us a distant twenty minutes earlier.   We like to talk about our parties, our kids, our dinner plans.  And we love to break on our social networks, and we also love to complain.  It’s a natural thing to do.  Here is a forum, an outlet, so we want to make use of it.

But then our social networks are being monitored and used a background checks for preemployment screening.  I have blogged about this a number of times, including an article entitled,  Employment Background Checks and Social Networking.   So for those lookiing for jobs in a bad economy and a tight job  market, take heed.  I realize it may be  tough not to blurt out the first things that come to your mind, but then nobody is really paying you to be cute on Facebook.   What you may be paid for, besides educaitona nd skill sets, is to show a little discretion.  So, be cool.

Because employers will check you out before they hire.