Drunk, Stupid and On Facebook Is No Way to Go Through Life, Son

September 15, 2008 at 1:57 am PT

The best thing about social networks is also the worst thing about social networks: They make it easy for us to share information about ourselves.

Of course, by making that information easier to share with friends and colleagues, social networks are also making it easier to share with less “social” entities. Among those are hiring managers, who are increasingly surfing social-networking sites for background info on job candidates. According to new research from online job venture CareerBuilder, nearly a quarter of hiring managers review the social-network profiles of potential employees–22 percent. And of those, 34 percent found material contentious enough to drop a candidate from consideration–discriminatory remarks, trash talk about former employers, and, of course, provocative or inappropriate photographs.

Makes you think twice about posting those “innocuous” pictures from Burning Man to your Facebook profile, even if you did look great in silver body paint.

It’s worth noting as well, though, that 24 percent of hiring managers surveyed reported finding information that impressed them or influenced their hiring decision favorably.

Tagged with: employer, Facebook, John Paczkowski, Myspace, privacy

comments so far. Add yours.

Tegan Ellis

Finally, someone that tells it how it is! I can’t believe that some people have no respect for themselves or future careers to post some of the things to the internet they do. In-decent photos, un-tasteful remarks and various other immature activities make you look like a fool and leave a bad taste in the mouth of future employers or possible opportunities you might have gotten otherwise. Don’t sell yourself short people. Be smart for once. Show that being cool and having a good time is more than a drunken episode or night full of obscenity and fistfights. Prove to the older generation that we are not all idiots and do live respectable, decent lives with the knowledge and common sense to back it up!
http://www.kenokel.com Ken Okel

If you apply for a job, expect to be “Googled.” I will not post anything onto my social media sites that do not support my personal brand. If anything, you want to play up your strengths.

Think of it like this: If you wouldn’t want your mother to see it, then don’t post it.
sokushi jonez

I’m thinking of setting up a bunch of social networking stuff that only shows those things positive about me because as we all know if its on the Internet, it absolutely has to be true.