The Do's and Don'ts of Social Networking

In this article, Mr. Gupta states his philosophy of the do’s and don’ts of social networking. Mr. Gupta emphasizes that employers and companies use social media as a recruiting tool to scout talent and potential employees. He also states the importance of potential candidates presenting a positive image on their social media pages. It is quite common for potential candidates to be on their best behavior and give a good first impression, but the more effective way for employers to determine one’s true character is to research what he/she presents online for others to see outside of a professional setting.

According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder in 2009, nearly 45 percent of companies use social networking sites to screen candidates; which is twice as much as in 2008. Also, niche and boutique information security recruiting firms such as BC Management and the Lenzer Group to use social media sites such as LinkedIn particularly while determining the hiring process for their companies. For instance, Tracy Lenzer, president of the Lenzer Group deciphers a candidate’s competency and integrity by viewing his social media profile to ensure there are no conflicts with what the candidate posted on his resume. In the same survey, over 30 percent of employers have disqualified candidates from being employed by their company because of inappropriate material posted on the candidates’ social media pages.