Social Media in Hiring
Checking out potential employees on social media? Don’t bother!
While it can be tempting to want to know more about job candidates, searching through pages of photos and social media posts is not a good use of time. In addition to potentially giving you access to information you shouldn’t have (for example: dates of birth, marital status, and gender identity – all of which are protected in employment law), reviewing such posts is “not a significant predictor of future job performance.”
Instead, make sure you know what skills you are looking for. What does the job actually entail? How much training/experience does a new hire need? Can you train them to do the job you want?
What non-skill traits are you looking for? What personalities would fit well with your culture and way of working? How can you assess these “touchy-feely” characteristics in an interview? How can you encourage these types of people to apply (and to accept your offer)?