FB and Interviews.... Your Practical and Philosophical Thoughts?

WordsmithMom

https://my.firedoglake.com/rogershuler/2012/03/23/facebook-joins-the-fray-on-invasive-job-interview-questions/

Has this not been discussed here?

 It's been almost 5 years since i've interviewed for a job, so FB wasn't a consideration in the interview.  Based on some things I've seen happen at my husband's place of work though, I have a strict "no friending coworkers on FB" policy, and my profile is hidden from everyone but my friends.  I just feel like it's a backdoor to finding out information to discriminate.

Anyway, I'm hearing, if employers don't want your actual login information, they might ask for you to friend an HR manager or pull up your FB page during the interview (some of the managers at my former employer did this in my last couple years there).  We all know news media can be overblown, and obviously, my old employer is one of zillions.  

How common is this actually?  Who's been asked, how did you handle it?  Which of you ask this of candidates in the interview, and why?  

If I take down my FB page completely till I get a permanent job, do I run the risk of looking like a behind-the-times ignoramus? 

financialdiva

Yikes! I of course have heard about companies checking out people's facebook pages, but to ask for someone's password?? That's crazy!

What type of industry are you in? I really have a hard time believing that professional organizations are really asking for this kind of information.

I would suggest cleaning up your facebook page of any keg stand pictures, etc. (which I'm sure you don't have on there, but you get my point), and changing your privacy settings to where only friends can see you and only friends of friends can even search for and see you have a page.

I don't believe not having a facebook page would make you look behind the times as I know plenty of people my age who don't have a facebook page. If they do ask you if you have a facebook page, don't lie and say you don't, just say yes and it's set to private. I just can't imagine anyone asking me at work or in an interview if I had a facebook page. What the heck??

WordsmithMom

financialdiva:

Yikes! I of course have heard about companies checking out people's facebook pages, but to ask for someone's password?? That's crazy!

What type of industry are you in? I really have a hard time believing that professional organizations are really asking for this kind of information.

I would suggest cleaning up your facebook page of any keg stand pictures, etc. (which I'm sure you don't have on there, but you get my point), and changing your privacy settings to where only friends can see you and only friends of friends can even search for and see you have a page.

I don't believe not having a facebook page would make you look behind the times as I know plenty of people my age who don't have a facebook page. If they do ask you if you have a facebook page, don't lie and say you don't, just say yes and it's set to private. I just can't imagine anyone asking me at work or in an interview if I had a facebook page. What the heck??

I'm sorry if it wasn't clear - my old employer didn't ask people for their password.  But there were a couple hiring managers there who would ask a candidate to log into their facebook page, let them see it, and log out during an interview.  We were also "strongly encouraged" to friend each other on FB; it was a little tense between me and someone in management after I agreed to friend them only on limited profile (they could see my profile pic, name, and location).

I don't have any kegstand pics, but I am an active member in an advocacy group for a chronic health issue I have, and have pictures of my unusual family and some shots of religious ceremonies, my being a BM in a 2-groom wedding, etc there.  That is what I do not want employers to see; it isn't their business and opens them up to discriminate against me.   But it is already set to private, as mentioned earlier.  

jlaOK

I am fine with an employer/potential employer checking someone's FB page, but I don't agree with it being mandatory to give passwords or become friends with certain people. If that is a requirement of a potential employer, then that's a company that I don't want to work for.

FortMyersBride

I have no issue with potential employers trying to look up someone on FB.  If their profile is open to the public then they're putting it out there to be found.  I do take issue with hearing about companies asking for passwords, what's next?  Will they then ask to rifle through someone's personal email?  

vigurl

I'm a recruiter.  I always google the heck out of someone before hiring them for a high level position.  Yes I ALWAYS check FB.  I was actually surprised that over the past week or so people have been so shocked by it.  It has been going on for at least 2-3 yrs.

Jaylea

vigurl:

I'm a recruiter.  I always google the heck out of someone before hiring them for a high level position.  Yes I ALWAYS check FB.  I was actually surprised that over the past week or so people have been so shocked by it.  It has been going on for at least 2-3 yrs.

Checking Facebook to see if a profile is public, and viewing said public profile is very different from requiring a PASSWORD to the interviewees personal account on risk of being removed from the hiring pool.

vigurl

Jaylea:

vigurl:

I'm a recruiter.  I always google the heck out of someone before hiring them for a high level position.  Yes I ALWAYS check FB.  I was actually surprised that over the past week or so people have been so shocked by it.  It has been going on for at least 2-3 yrs.

Checking Facebook to see if a profile is public, and viewing said public profile is very different from requiring a PASSWORD to the interviewees personal account on risk of being removed from the hiring pool.

I get this and I nor any comapny I have worked for or applied for has asked for this info. My point is exactly what I said.  Everyone seems shocked that managers/recruiters look at this info.  Not shocking, not new.  You put it on the internet and it is public.  We also love to read people's twitter feeds. 

Jaylea

vigurl:

Jaylea:

vigurl:

I'm a recruiter.  I always google the heck out of someone before hiring them for a high level position.  Yes I ALWAYS check FB.  I was actually surprised that over the past week or so people have been so shocked by it.  It has been going on for at least 2-3 yrs.

Checking Facebook to see if a profile is public, and viewing said public profile is very different from requiring a PASSWORD to the interviewees personal account on risk of being removed from the hiring pool.

I get this and I nor any comapny I have worked for or applied for has asked for this info. My point is exactly what I said.  Everyone seems shocked that managers/recruiters look at this info.  Not shocking, not new.  You put it on the internet and it is public.  We also love to read people's twitter feeds. 

I don't actually hear of anyone being shocked by potential employers looking at public profiles... the OP is asking about being asked for passwords and/or being required to friend HR members so they can view the profile if it is blocked from public viewing. Two different issues from that which you posted about, if I am understanding the OP.

The password issue is a huge one for me - no way would I give anyone information that would allow them to impersonate me, access the pages of friends and family members who do not have public profiles, or view any of my personal (ie not on my visible profile) account information. Likewise, they can see my credit report, but  I'm not giving them my bank log-in information, KWIM?

WinesNotWhines

I would not give my FB password to a potential employer. That's just crazy. If they want that kind of access to my personal life, thenI don't want to work there.

If it came up during an interview, I'd be honest and say I have a FB account, but I rarely post anything on it. If they asked to see my profile, I'd tell them they're welcome to search for me on FB, but I wouldn't log into my account for them. I don't have anything incriminating on FB, but it's the principle of the thing. I don't have anything incriminating in my gmail account either, but I'm not handing over my password so my boss can log in at-will and read all of my emails whenever he wants. That's creepy.

I also don't friend co-workers. If they insisted, I'd probably create a "dummy" FB account using a different email address and put the bare bones info on it.

MammaBear81

jlaOK:

I am fine with an employer/potential employer checking someone's FB page, but I don't agree with it being mandatory to give passwords or become friends with certain people. If that is a requirement of a potential employer, then that's a company that I don't want to work for.

I agree with this.  Even if you don't friend them, a quick google search will bring up your info anyway.  Even if your FB page is "private" there are plenty of ways of searching old posts and pictures on the internet.

Mags748

FortMyersBride:

I have no issue with potential employers trying to look up someone on FB.  If their profile is open to the public then they're putting it out there to be found.  I do take issue with hearing about companies asking for passwords, what's next?  Will they then ask to rifle through someone's personal email?  

Exactly. I don't buy the argument that what you put on the internet is public domain, if it is password protected. I use a web based site for work that has patients' medical records. Anyone can access the site, but you have to have a username and password to access it. Would someone argue that since that is put up on the internet, it is public information? I have no problem employers looking me up on Facebook and see what I have allowed the general public to see, but they have no right to look at the information I have deemed private.