Most Employers Screen Job Candidates’ Social Media Profiles. Should You?

Should you screen job candidates’ social media?

Screening job candidates’ social media can land you in murky waters and isn’t necessarily a way in which Facebook can be good for you. Social media screenings can result in employers learning candidate information they legally or ethically can’t consider during the hiring process. This information includes gender, race, ethnicity, religion, political views, sexual orientation, disabilities and pregnancy status. 

According to a 2021 Harvard Business Review article, studies have shown that social media recruiters often weigh these factors in their decision-making. One expert quoted in the article said that what people post on social media doesn’t pertain to their job performance, so you should ignore it. Another expert recommended reserving social media screening for third-party background checks late in the hiring process.

The pros and cons of social media recruiting

Below are some benefits and drawbacks of screening job candidates’ social media profiles.

Pros of social media recruiting

• Weeding out problem candidates. In most states, you can use a candidate’s political views, as expressed on social media, to influence your hiring decisions. This is helpful if you encounter hateful or violent content on job candidates’ social media profiles. After all, great job descriptions can attract just about anyone, so why not screen your applicants’ beliefs? You’ll immediately know not to hire anyone who would be extremely opposed to, say, your diversity and inclusion training program.
• Verifying resume information. Comparing a job candidate’s LinkedIn page to their resume can uncover any falsely inflated parts of their resume. This can give you a clearer, more realistic view of the candidate in question.
• Saving money. If your hiring budget is tight, doing social media checks yourself can save you money on third-party background check services.

Cons of social media recruiting

• Legal and ethical concerns. Much of the information you’ll encounter on candidates’ social media profiles is protected under anti-discrimination laws. You may be better off avoiding this information.
• Unfairness. No two people use social media in quite the same way. One job candidate might post inspiring content every day, and another might not have posted at all in the past five years. You can’t fairly compare these candidates, since you’re missing too much information on the latter.
• Time-consuming. Searching for job candidates’ social media profiles and going over them with a fine-toothed comb is a lengthy process. Some candidates might even use fake names, making it difficult to find their profiles. As a small business owner, you have other tasks on your plate that could take priority.

How many employers find candidates on social media?

Employee social media screenings are popular. In 2020, The Harris Poll found that 71% of American hiring decision-makers screened candidates’ social media profiles. Among the surveyed cohort, 70% also said that hiring decision-makers should screen each of a candidate’s social media profiles. Additionally, 55% said that they encountered social media content that resulted in them disqualifying job applicants.

What are alternatives to social media recruiting?

Instead of using social media to judge your job candidates, try the following.

• Talent pools. Talent pools are databases of previous job candidates, their resumes, and any information gathered during the interview process. You can reach out to these people for future job openings. Since you know how to reach them and they’ve previously expressed interest, you can save abundant time and money on your recruiting. Plus, you don’t need to screen these candidates’ social media since you already know them.
• Recruitment agencies. Candidates to whom a recruitment agency refers you likely already pass muster. These agencies specialize in reviewing candidates’ resumes and backgrounds to ensure matching skills and cultural fits. You won’t need to screen these candidates’ social media profiles.
• Employee referrals. Ask your team if they know anyone looking for jobs similar to your current openings. If you trust your team members, you can probably trust the people they refer you to without any social media screenings.
• Boomerang employees. A boomerang employee is someone who previously worked at your company and is now returning. You already know this employee well, so there’s no need to browse their social media. Instead, just let them know you have a job opening and you’d like to try re-hiring them. If they’re interested, you’ll surely hear back, and you’ll save major time on your training process.

Social screening: the new (but treacherous) frontier for recruiting

Social screening isn’t going to disappear anytime soon, and it can benefit your business. That said, it can also subject your business to legal and ethical concerns. Stick to the few legal, ethical ways of using social media for your recruiting, and you should be fine. For everything else, turn to background check services or forms of recruiting that all but automatically verify which candidates are a fit for your open positions. In time, you’ll find the right person.