Facebook and employment Forum

[09042014]

If you lock down all the privacy settings to Friend only, there isn't danger of employers seeing it, is there?

[fatduck]

they'll always see your profile pic. and be careful who you friend. using a limited friends list is usually tcr.

[Aston2412]

If you restrict settings to "Friends only" then only your fb friends can see your material. The only way a hiring partner would be able to see it was if they were a "Friend, a "Friend" showed it to them, a "Friend" screen-shotted it and posted it on the internet or said partner was a hacker of moderate skill and efficiency.

[MrAnon]

I have heard stories of employers contacting friends on facebook to ask questions about the applicant. Is this true?

[beach_terror]

I have heard stories of employers contacting friends on facebook to ask questions about the applicant. Is this true?

There is no way in hell.

[fatduck]

I have heard stories of employers contacting friends on facebook to ask questions about the applicant. Is this true?

excellent use of the Cavuto

[Z3RO]

they'll always see your profile pic. and be careful who you friend. using a limited friends list is usually tcr.

I'm not searchable except for friends of friends.

However, there's a "non sequitur" on abovethelaw.com today linking to a story about some service that trolls for information about you on social networking sites then provides it to possible employers. I'm not completely sure how they get this information unless my friends are friends with "assholes inc".

[englawyer]

i wonder if firms lean on current summer associates to get this info. i know many people at least share with their university network.

"hey Mr. Summer associate. you go to UPenn Law right? can you get the info for X,Y,Z candidate?"

[09042014]

i wonder if firms lean on current summer associates to get this info. i know many people at least share with their university network.

"hey Mr. Summer associate. you go to UPenn Law right? can you get the info for X,Y,Z candidate?"

You'd probably have heard about it if they do.

I don't see why firms were care that much.

[Anonymous User]

I have heard stories of employers contacting friends on facebook to ask questions about the applicant. Is this true?

There is no way in hell.

Yes it is true... I have done this with prospective employees.

[gwuorbust]

If I can't survive firms checking out my limited fb profile, then I'll probably be fired in the first six months anyways.

[Killingly]

I friend of mine posted something on her coworker's wall. That guy happened to friends with another worker (from a different department) who happened to see it and sent the message to her boss. She only got a warning, but that sort of thing does happen.

[bne90]

they'll always see your profile pic. and be careful who you friend. using a limited friends list is usually tcr.

I'm not searchable except for friends of friends.

However, there's a "non sequitur" on abovethelaw.com today linking to a story about some service that trolls for information about you on social networking sites then provides it to possible employers. I'm not completely sure how they get this information unless my friends are friends with "assholes inc".

This doesn't surprise me unfortunately. My university's NCAA Compliance Office would hold annual meetings for us to discuss the several websites that go after student-athletes by trolling on their facebooks. I used to play with someone who had their information taken from her facebook and posted on one of these websites, almost resulting in the loss of her athletic scholarship. They target pictures of individuals in their 'not so shining moments' and "inappropriate" comments/messages. I just ended up deleting my facebook because it was too much of a hassle and I was freaked out about how many people had access to my information, even with privacy settings. And sometimes it's not so much what you post on the internet, but what others post. In my opinion, facebook is a great way to reconnect and sustain friendships, but isn't worth the time or possible consequences. While I highly doubt a firm would take the time to thoroughly look into one's facebook, unless they had a good reason to, I also wouldn't be surprised if a firm researched someone's facebook and/or their friends.

[Aston2412]

they'll always see your profile pic. and be careful who you friend. using a limited friends list is usually tcr.

I'm not searchable except for friends of friends.

However, there's a "non sequitur" on abovethelaw.com today linking to a story about some service that trolls for information about you on social networking sites then provides it to possible employers. I'm not completely sure how they get this information unless my friends are friends with "assholes inc".

This doesn't surprise me unfortunately. My university's NCAA Compliance Office would hold annual meetings for us to discuss the several websites that go after student-athletes by trolling on their facebooks. I used to play with someone who had their information taken from her facebook and posted on one of these websites, almost resulting in the loss of her athletic scholarship. They target pictures of individuals in their 'not so shining moments' and "inappropriate" comments/messages. I just ended up deleting my facebook because it was too much of a hassle and I was freaked out about how many people had access to my information, even with privacy settings. And sometimes it's not so much what you post on the internet, but what others post. In my opinion, facebook is a great way to reconnect and sustain friendships, but isn't worth the time or possible consequences. While I highly doubt a firm would take the time to thoroughly look into one's facebook, unless they had a good reason to, I also wouldn't be surprised if a firm researched someone's facebook and/or their friends.

My athletic department's regulations were incredibly strict as well. They actually told us we couldn't vaguely vent on facebook statuses (statusi?) (ie bitching about our coach without actually referencing the coach) and we couldn't be in any pictures where alcohol was in frame - even if we weren't drinking. It got pretty ridiculous so naturally we all locked our profiles to all but friends. And then we were told if we didn't add our supervisor to our friend's list we'd be removed from the team. It got pretty ridiculous.

So naturally the day we graduated we took pictures of ourselves shotgunning beers in uniform...

Don't worry, they aren't still up. We were having fun but we weren't stupid.

[Borhas]

be wary of accepting friends requests from people you don't remember

[pleasetryagain]

its really annoying that people who work in a profession full of scumbags pretend "character and fitness" is such a big deal that they would check your profile and ding you for a salacious picture or comment that may be taken entirely out of context.

[Borhas]

its really annoying that people who work in a profession full of scumbags pretend "character and fitness" is such a big deal that they would check your profile and ding you for a salacious picture or comment that may be taken entirely out of context.

scumbags (especially those with a modicum of wealth or power) tend to understand the importance of appearances, hence they'll value people who won't wear their scummyness on their sleeves... (it's not the cheating thats a problem, it's the getting caught)

[Bronte]

I find it so annoying that the incessant articles and other warnings about facebook often fail to mention that it's a click of a few buttons to make it so you can't see anything. Sure, you could probably hack in, but they should be clear what they're talking about instead of just saying, "Anything on your facebook is a liability."