Negative Reflection Of My Facebook Profile

Many individuals have resorted to social media to connect with friends or strangers alike. Social media has also encouraged people to display private conduct to the public. Many colleges and businesses have resorted to viewing an applicant’s social media for work force readiness. I believe this is a good strategy, because it can eliminate competition in the work place.

A growing hot topic, and cause for concern is the increasing use of social media in the workplace. The landscape for communication has changed, and the line between personal and professional communications has been blurred. How will your employer manage the risks associated with the use of social media and at the same time, gain the benefits that this media form provides? While many employers were initially concerned that employees would use company time and equipment for socializing with friends, they are quickly learning that many social networks can also be used directly for work purposes.

When college admissions officers and potential employers look at people’s social media, it could help make their decision easier. Someone that is using a lot of cuss words or posting inappropriate things isn’t going to get the job over someone who doesn’t. Colleges and work places want people that aren’t going to do those things because it will start to look bad on them. “Employers can also use their social medias as an extended résumé if they use it correctly” (Source G).

Employers on our social media, this is a fact that everyone in this age accepts but do not necessarily like or want. Some people say it is okay to check social media when looking for who to hire, but this infringes on privacy rights. If an employer finds something discriminating on a profile and decides not to hire the person this is not okay, even though some may say it is because you want to know what you are getting into. An employer could find information that was not even true on social media, this would not work in favor of employment. It is not okay to check social media when employers are hiring because it invades privacy, discriminates and the information provided on the site could be false.

Many do not know what problems social media can have in everyday life. The essay “Job Candidates and Facebook” Weidu explains how one self may look or appear professional but a job can find way more than that. Many jobs now hire professional individuals who search out a certain person who applied at a job and do a background check on them. Most of the things that are found about these people are found on Facebook although Facebook might be private they can find anything on a quick search on google. Weidu also speaks about how anything posted on social media will remain

The purpose of this literary review is to enlighten my viewers of the importance of the ethical idea of companies crossing the lines of business with your personal life, when involving social media accounts. Most of my research has operated from the ATU library using the find it tool. Furthermost, the researched information use was from peer-reviewed research journal. I will discuss includes social media cons in the work environment, if it is ethical to get fired over a post, and laws that protect both parties. Social media includes an assortment of electronic communications—most commonly networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Pinterest, Instagram, and the likes thereof. Social media also covers all forms of blogs, including Twitter (a micro-blog), wikis, online journals, diaries, personal newsletters, and World of Warfare and YouTube also are included under the umbrella term of social media (Lieber 2011).

With employers having access to a wide range of networking sites, it is more efficient for them to look up additional information about the candidate while saving cost and time. One research showed that a candidate was able to secure a job because their social media profile showed them as creative, well-rounded, and a good fit for the company (Budden, Elkersh, Vicknair, & Yancey, 2010). Companies use this data in order to inspect whether a candidate maybe outgoing. For example, someone who does not have any social networking profile is thought to be likely hiding something or is introverted or is not well-versed with technology (which is a requirement for most professional jobs). Companies can weed out candidates using this information and possibly find applicants that are likely to fit in with their corporate culture.

My Facebook friends include family members and peers. I share a condensed version of my political beliefs and pictures my friends tag me in. In regards to pictures, I tend to know which ones are acceptable and try to avoid pictures that are not acceptable, as I know that employers and professionals can check my Facebook. Some challenges that I face with Facebook are my lack of activity. Rarely do I post to Facebook, but my family tags me often. I accept their tagging of me, but I do not often post any family events. LinkedIn presents a similar issue. I am not as familiar with LinkedIn and thus, never post anything. At the moment, I am trying to grow my LinkedIn profile before I begin posting or sharing anything. I have added friends and family connections, but I aim for the profile to be professional. Thus, Facebook and LinkedIn create an image of me as a professional. Yet, Facebook tends to have a personal note to

According to Renee Fricks, vice president of human resources at Imperial Capital, “Your social media profile can be more revealing that your resume” (Cohen, 10). Social media has become a normal use of technology of an average college student. From Facebook and Twitter, there is a means of connecting students on diverse planes via the Internet. This allows employers to search any potential job candidate’s social media to investigate user’s posts to determine if they fit their position and hold themselves with high moral regard. If students do not monitor what they post, potential employers may be turned away because of inappropriate pictures, conversations, or other behaviors. Learning about proper social media uses can prevent qualified candidates from losing job opportunities.

For helping professionals who are considering using Facebook, a host of ethical concerns about boundaries, dual relationships, confidentiality, and privacy arise (Corey & Corey, 2016). According to standard 5 in the Ethical Standards of Human Service Professionals, human service professionals recognize that multiple relationships may increase the risk of harm to or exploitation of clients and may impair their professional judgment (“Ethical Standards,” 2016). When it is not feasible to avoid dual or multiple relationships, human service professionals should consider whether the professional relationship should be avoided or curtailed (“Ethical Standards,” 2016). One solution would be to create a professional Facebook account and have one for personal use which is kept as private (Corey & Corey, 2016). As human service professionals we need to keep the separation of our personal lives and our professional lives in tact. The best way to do this is to keep personal content private, include clear and thorough social networking policies as part of the informed consent process, and regularly update protective settings because Facebook is constantly changing (Corey & Corey, 2016). Keeping the social network policies as a part of the informed consent can also save any future issues for the client. Clients postings on social networking sites may lead to

Social networking sites are a dangerously sharp double-edged sword. Professional sites such as LinkedIn can showcase one’s talents and provide an advantage within a large applicant pool while personal sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, myspace, even YouTube, if used irresponsibly, can make public many aspects of an individual’s private life which can reflect negatively, when viewed by others. The article “Didn’t get that new job? You need a better Facebook score” (Garling) highlights one of the many ways prospective employers can quantify someone based on their social media presence. The article describes a process whereby hiring managers rely on a consulting firm of sorts. This firm provides a score for each applicant based on their social media presence.

Social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook have created a new ethical dilemma for many businesses. Corporations, small businesses, and even universities are struggling create policies to manage their employees social networking behaviors. Social networking access, particularly for recruiters, can provide personal information about potential employees, which would otherwise not be available. A business must follow statutes and guidelines when disclosing information to the public. Individuals on social networking sites have no such constraints. Employees can and do make comments about their employers online. Employers can and do watch what employees post online. Any individual can send or post potentially damaging information

The sharing of photos picturing wild, late-night college parties, alcohol consumption, and new tattoos or piercings is becoming commonplace in social media. Though they may vary in degree, none are the particularly “good” traits that one would expect to find in a good employee. Practices such as these should stand out as “red flags” that are not typically desired by employers. Other, more subtle, red flags include: obvious mood swings, overly emotional postings, and overly personal content. All of these, potentially detrimental, characteristics can be detected, and avoided, easily with a quick review of a candidate’s social media profile(s).

My second reason for why I believe job employers should have the right to look at social media accounts of potential employees is because it allows the employer to find out if the candidate presents a positive professional image and good communicative skills. If an employers chooses to look at someone who bullies others on social media it could show that that applicant has a poor character. If they look at someone who is illiterate or inappropriate with images or words that could show a potential problem with maturity. If an employer looks at someone who has positive feedback from peers and shows an active involvement in the community, it could show the employer that the candidate has the ability to help the company grow.

Even though the practice of using social media to vet candidates is relatively new, there are standards already established for this process. Employers who are hesitant to use social media typically cite fear of allegations of discriminatory hiring practices. To protect themselves against legal ramifications of unfair hiring processes, employers should always consult with an employment attorney to develop policies for gathering and use of internet-based information (“The Facebook Background Check.”) An employment attorney can help