Pro/Con: Jobs looking at Facebooks

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April 27, 2012

Editorial Cartoon Editor Richie Feierman

Facebook_Employment_GOB-112 (1)2 — Editorial Cartoon Editor Richie Feierman

Pro

Sports Editor Nick Wilkinson

Social networking is becoming a supreme source of communication. However, Facebook Twitter and other forms of networking can basically show anyone in the world your personal business. Potential employers looking at Facebook pages is their right. Nobody wants a worker that is immature and unprofessional.

When a person is applying for a job employers should be able to look at whatever they want. A Facebook page is like a very personal resume. If you’re going to put your information on the internet you have to think about who is going to see it. If you’re in the middle of an interview and your employer is Googling your name, they don’t want see a nude picture or any sort of profane information, in the business world you wouldn’t get hired.

I wouldn’t hire someone like that. If your photos and use of speech aren’t screaming CEO then there is no need for you to have that job.

Now, I’m not saying you have to be wearing a suit and tie but you should only put on Facebook, let alone the internet what you would want your grandmother to see.

When typing my first and last name on a search engine, the top results were my Twitter account, Facebook and Google Plus. The sight of this actually made me uncomfortable. Viewing myself on Google was uncomfortable; It was as if I was in the middle of a group of people with every secret I hold in my mind glowing for the world to see. Now thinking about what if my boss was looking at that, utterly embarrassing.

I don’t have any nude pictures on the internet, and I don’t have any pictures of myself consuming alcoholic beverages or abusing drugs so I’m not worried about my boss seeing that. However, I do have inappropriate words somewhere on the internet. The dark, endless span of the internet may hold sentences you regret saying and some day those words may drop right into an employer’s lap.

Almost everyone can say they regret saying something over text, Twitter or Facebook. Now, there is no way we can take those words back that we have said. But from this day forward, we have to realize that we need to control our immature teenage minds, or even young adult minds so in the future, we don’t get penalized for it.

If people are posting picture of themselves getting drunk, or smoking some sort of narcotic, then they have no right to even be considered for a big time job. If you’re going to act like you work on the street corners, that’s probably where you will end up.

If you’re looking for a job, a Facebook page can only hurt you. There may be instances where potential employers have undermine the right of peoples Facebook pages, but if they keep it professional then we all should too.

The employers don’t just look at your pictures. They look at your political views, religious views, what kinda things do you post? Who do you look up to? What are your goals in life, and most importantly what do you have to bring to their company?

Its the owner of the profiles choice on what they must put on their Facebook, but its shouldnt be their choice whether or not an employer looks at it. If they put derogatory things on the internet, and don’t get a job; then that’s their fault.

Con

Reporter Kennedy Sharp

People in search of a job for the first time may be held back because of Facebook. Employers are actually looking at future employees Facebook accounts, as well as asking for passwords. This is entirely crossing the line and is not necessary.

I’m not completely certain on employers’ reasons for stalking people on Facebook. I think a reason might include that they believe people can’t separate their personal life from their work life. In reality, this is possible for employees to accomplish. When at work, people can recognize that work is a different environment than home.

It’s simply not right to categorize or judge someone solely on their Facebook profile and what they have on it. Especially if they don’t personally know the person or the way they act. Employers should absolutely give potential employees a chance, without looking at their Facebook profile. They should rely on old-fashioned trust, like in the good old days when social networking wasn’t around, and Facebook stalking was not available.

Personal choices such as piercings, tattoos and now Facebook should not affect people getting a job. Once you add Facebook to this equation, getting a job may seem even more difficult. Employers should not focus on these aspects of a person, but instead a good work ethic.

Material on Facebook should truly only matter if it puts people in danger. If a person were, in the employer’s opinion, to have graphic and violent photos, posts, and interests then it might be appropriate to question hiring them. That’s much different than not hiring somebody because harmless content on their Facebook could make employers look bad.

A Facebook user can believe their profile doesn’t have anything negative, but employers could think differently. If anyone has a Facebook, there is no way of knowing what could be offensive or prevent them from getting a job.

This new trend of employers searching Facebook’s is in some ways eliminating freedom of speech. Some might feel as if they can’t say anything even slightly offensive. A political or religious could potentially even offend somebody. Hiring should be less personal and more professional. If somebody has a successful interview then they should get hired based on that instead.

Maryland is trying to ban employers from asking applicants and workers to provide them with their Facebook login and password. This marks the first state trying to accomplish the act. The fact that Maryland has recognized this problem and is trying to find a solution, demonstrates its severity. Maybe in the future more states will follow in the footsteps of Maryland, helping people to not feel so intimidated by their employers.

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