According to a survey by The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals, 60% of respondents believe employers should review the social media profiles of all job candidates. Additionally, 69% feel social media checks provide insights not included in resumes, offering valuable information to employers. However, are you conducting this process effectively? Leamar Hiring suggests tips to help you optimize your candidate social media screening process.

I. What is a Social Media Check?

Social media checks (or social media screening) have become an integral part of the hiring process. This involves reviewing the public online presence of candidates, including their profiles, posts, comments, and interactions on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or X (formerly Twitter).

This process helps employers gather additional insights about candidates beyond what’s included in their resumes or shared during interviews. It allows HR professionals to evaluate candidates’ personalities, behaviors, and overall cultural fit for the organization.

II. Why Should Employers Conduct Social Media Checks?

Now that we understand what social media checks are, it’s important to explore why they are beneficial for employers. Social media checks offer several advantages, including ensuring the credibility and consistency of a candidate’s profile.

HR may conduct social media checks on potential candidates and employees for various reasons. One key reason is to ensure consistency in a candidate's profile, such as reviewing LinkedIn to verify the accuracy of details regarding education or work history disclosed in resumes and interviews.

Additionally, employers can screen candidates to identify any inappropriate behavior that could harm the organization’s reputation if they were to join the company. This includes offensive language, discriminatory remarks, or evidence of illegal activities.

Furthermore, recruiters and HR managers look for signs that a candidate’s personality aligns with the company’s values and workplace culture. This may involve checking whether the candidate participates in relevant activities or has professional interests that validate their credibility - especially if they are expected to be industry leaders or experts in a specific field.

III. Benefits of Social Media Checks

• Providing additional insights about candidates: Accessing communication skills, hobbies, and passions not mentioned in resumes can help evaluate cultural fit.

• Showcasing creativity: Platforms like Instagram or personal blogs highlight a candidate's creative work and thought processes.

• Offering a glimpse into communication skills: Posts about group activities or volunteer work can indicate a candidate's teamwork abilities.

• Early detection of warning signs: Identifying discriminatory remarks or unprofessional behavior early on can help avoid costly hiring mistakes.

• Conducting informal reference checks: Verifying online activities that align with the details in resumes can serve as an informal method of reference checking.

IV: Drawbacks of Social Media Checks

Although social media checks provide valuable insights, they also come with certain risks and drawbacks. Leamar Hiring advises employers to be mindful of these challenges and take necessary precautions to avoid any negative consequences.

• Legal Risks: Accessing protected information (such as religion, age, or race) could result in discrimination claims.

• Privacy Concerns: Candidates may view social media checks as an invasion of privacy, especially if HR accesses personal content.

• Lack of Consistency: Not all candidates have a social media presence, which could lead to unfair evaluations.

• Misinterpretation: Social media content can be taken out of context, leading to inaccurate judgments about a candidate.

V. Best Practices for Conducting Social Media Checks

Here is a step-by-step guide to ensure your social media screening process is fair, ethical, and compliant with labor laws:

1. Use a Standardized Checklist: Create a checklist of criteria to assess during social media screening to maintain consistency. Focus on factors like professionalism, communication skills, and alignment with job-related requirements. Identify relevant platforms based on the target role and document your findings systematically.

2. Choose the Right Tools and Platforms: Limit your checks to platforms that are relevant to the job. For instance:

• Use LinkedIn to verify work experience, education, and professional recommendations.

• Review Twitter (X), Facebook, or Instagram to assess personal traits and cultural fit.

• For technical roles, check GitHub or Behance for portfolios or sample work.

3. Combine Social Media Screening with Pre-Employment Testing

Social media screening should complement, not replace, other evaluation methods. Use skills tests, personality assessments, and interviews to gain a well-rounded understanding of the candidate.

4. Adhere to Legal and Privacy Standards:

• Review only publicly available information.

• Avoid accessing private content or requesting login credentials.

• Securely record screening results and restrict access to authorized HR personnel.

5. Summarize Findings and Make Informed Decisions:

• Focus only on job-relevant information when making hiring decisions.

• Combine social media insights with other factors, such as skills tests, interviews, and reference checks, to form a comprehensive evaluation.

Social media checks have become an essential part of the recruitment process, providing employers with a fuller understanding of their candidates. By following the best practices outlined above, employers can ensure that their social media screening process is fair, ethical, and effective.

Ready to streamline your recruitment process with effective social media checks?

Leamar Hiring can help you integrate social media screening into your hiring process seamlessly, ensuring that you make informed, ethical, and legally compliant decisions. Contact us today to learn how we can help you optimize your recruitment strategy and build a stronger, more aligned team.

Get in touch with Leamar Hiring now and take your recruitment to the next level!