"I personally think we're moving away from the one-page résumé," explains CEO Max Drucker. "I think we're moving toward where your online history is your résumé."
Drucker says SIC only screens for user-generated "objectionable behavior" online, and that standards vary based on employer. Editors of High Times might be more lenient than, say, the HR department of the Wall Street Journal. The majority of the time, SIC takes screenshots of behavior that falls into the category of "poor judgment." These screenshots are then shown to employers for review. Does it typically ruin the chances for a new hire? "Yes," says Drucker. "The more risk-averse employers won't even look at the pictures."
The problem with this is that who decides what is inappropriate or poor judgment? Also, there is a high risk of things being taken out of context. I would hate to think about what idea someone would have about me just by looking at little bits of information about me scattered across the Internet. And what about others who have the same name as me? Will I be held accountable for things they post? How will a company like this be able to determine if it is me or if it is someone else entirely?
The only bright side to this is that these sorts of companies don't just report negative things they find online. They also report the positive. If you have a vibrant Linkedin network, the employer will know about that too. Perhaps it is a good idea to post pictures of yourself doing good deeds, although that seems a tad too narcissistic to me.
Is it just me, or does the whole social media monitoring seems a bit too Orwellian? Be careful what you say, and make sure that it supports the company line or the company image. Even when you are off the clock. Even when you are posting messages to your friends that don't have anything to do with your job. Of course, you have the right to say or post anything you like. You just don't have the right to do and still have a job. There is the possibility that this sort of screening makes discrimination very easy for employers, and even easier to cover up. For example, if I were to apply at a company owned by a very conservative christian fundamentalist, they may find my contributions to Buddhist, feminist and anti war websites to be acting in “poor judgment” and choose not to hire me. Isn't that just a sneaky way to discriminate because of religion of beliefs?
It looks as though this whole system of monitoring employees isn't going away anytime soon. When you are looking for a job, all you can do is make sure that your profiles and social networks reflect who you are as best as they can. Take a look at the information you have available online and see what an employer might think about you.
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