How to Check Candidate Background on Social Media

Nearly three-quarters of internet users have a social media footprint, making social recruiting one of the top ways for today’s employers to fill their open positions with the best talent. The majority of employers (at least 60%) use social media recruiting as part of their candidate sourcing process, & many conduct additional research on candidates' social media profiles before making a hire.

Each platform has its own nuances & advantages. Here are tips for where to look, & how to find the right information:

LinkedIn & Professional Networks:

LinkedIn is a treasure trove of information about a candidate's professional life. Many professionals post blogs, articles, publications, past work, & professional updates on their pages. A vibrant LinkedIn page signals that a candidate has invested time in staying up-to-date with his or her industry & in networking with the professional community. The variety & breadth of material on a candidate's page provides insight into their influencers & professional interests. The same principles apply to niche professional social networking sites similar to LinkedIn.

How to check them:

With the exception of premium members who opt for total privacy, all LinkedIn members have a public page that anyone can view; simply search by name & current employer. Closer connections have access to more information, but it is preferable not to send a connection request solely for the purposes of seeing more information on a candidate.

Blogs:

Nearly every job requires strong written & verbal communication skills. Hiring managers can gauge verbal skills from an in-person interview & written skills from a candidate's thank-you note, however, the interview process mostly reflects the candidate's communication skills under pressure. Writing samples such as professional or personal blogs reflect a more complete picture of the candidate's written communication style. Professionally themed pieces better indicate the level of communication that a hiring manager can expect to see from the candidate during his or her employment.

Personal blogs, while not as relevant, are a valuable window into the candidate's personality, special interests, & the kind of audience they seek to engage.

How to check them:

A simple Google search of “(Candidate name) blog” will sometimes return relevant results. If not, it is generally easiest to ask the candidate during an interview if they have a blog URL they are willing to share.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & more:

Personal social media profiles offer a previously unavailable window for employers to explore a candidate's personal life. Normally, a potential employer would see only a faint glimpse of this during the interview process, filtered heavily by what the candidate chooses to reveal. Social media profiles involve far less control on the candidate's part & can provoke a dilemma for a potential employer who may see more than they bargained for.

How to check them:

It is legal to view a candidate's public social media profiles as part of a job search process without a waiver, but the best practice is to wait until after meeting a candidate in person & to verbally disclose that the hiring protocol includes a review of public social media channels. Why? A hiring manager & a candidate each have time to prepare themselves before an interview; a candidate deserves the same opportunity to prepare his or her social media footprint for scrutiny by a potential employer. Additionally, it adds a layer of protection against potential accusations of unfair discrimination. Proceed cautiously, & when in doubt, seek professional legal advice.

As a general rule for all social media interactions, be consistent. Use the same searches & processes for each candidate to ensure fairness, & formally document any positive or negative hiring decisions made with information gathered from a social media profile, including screenshots. The interviewing process is still the best format to judge a candidate's fit; treat social media as an extension of the in-person interview.

Lastly, be aware that candidates conduct their own social media research on prospective employers & hiring managers. It is well worth it for hiring managers & their HR departments to consider their own social media footprint during the interview process.