However, sites like LinkedIn are not the only places employers look. Very often, they check a potential employee’s other accounts, such as on Facebook or Twitter. According to a recent survey by Career Builder, 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates. These sites can indicate whether people seem reliable. For example, if they spend a lot of time socializing, that might suggest that they cannot be counted on to get a job done. Employers may find other things that concern them, such as inappropriate photos, offensive comments, or other unprofessional behavior.

Question

According to Career Builder, more than half of employers found a reason not to hire someone based on his or her social media presence. However, sometimes companies make quick, inaccurate judgements based on social media profiles. People with active social lives could also be hard workers who are very committed to their jobs. One does not necessarily cancel out the other.

What should job candidates avoid posting on their social media accounts? Check all that apply.

photos with family members
a lot of pictures from parties
quotes by well-known people
bigoted or discriminatory comments
questionable photos or other images

Answer 1

Job candidates should avoid posting the following on their social media accounts:

• A lot of pictures from parties
• Bigoted or discriminatory comments
• Questionable photos or other images

While photos with family members and quotes by well-known people are generally not problematic, excessive or inappropriate content can raise concerns for potential employers. It's important for candidates to maintain a professional presence on social media.

Answer 2

Therefore, you may think that it would be wise not to have any social media accounts. Better safe than sorry, right? However, the Career Builder survey also revealed that employers expect workers to have an online presence and may not hire them without it. About 47 percent of employers said that they are less likely to call a candidate in for an interview if they cannot find him or her on the internet. That’s because social media can help employers uncover positive traits, not just negative ones. These sites can provide a glimpse into a potential hire’s creativity, communication skills, or ability to interact well with others. They also may help employers learn more about people’s interests and discover if they would fit well with the company. In some fields, such as film, television, or other forms of media, having a lot of social media followers is a mark in a potential employee’s favor.

What positive qualities can employers most likely discover about candidates from candidates’ social media accounts? Check all that apply.

their creativity
their salary demands
their communication skills
how they might get along with others
how long they would likely stay in a job

Answer 3

Employers can most likely discover the following positive qualities about candidates from their social media accounts:

• Their creativity
• Their communication skills
• How they might get along with others

Salary demands and how long a candidate would likely stay in a job are typically not discernible from social media profiles.

Answer 4

What are the advantages of using social media to evaluate candidates during a job search? Check all that apply.

Employers can learn more about a candidate’s character.
Social media makes it possible to skip the interview process.
It allows an employer to discover whether a candidate may be reliable.
It helps an employer determine whether a candidate may offend others.
Social media can help to weed out candidates who are not a good fit.
Employers can determine with total accuracy whether a candidate can do the job.

Answer 5

The advantages of using social media to evaluate candidates during a job search include:

• Employers can learn more about a candidate’s character.
• It allows an employer to discover whether a candidate may be reliable.
• It helps an employer determine whether a candidate may offend others.
• Social media can help to weed out candidates who are not a good fit.

The other options are not accurate advantages. Specifically, social media does not make it possible to skip the interview process or guarantee total accuracy in determining whether a candidate can do the job.

Answer 6

What are the disadvantages of using social media to evaluate candidates for a job opening? Check all that apply.

Some candidates may have little or no social media presence.
It is harder to uncover positive qualities than negative qualities.
It is often difficult to locate candidates’ social media accounts.
Social media profiles may not paint a complete picture of people.
Social media profiles cannot accurately predict future job performance.
Websites only show what a candidate is like personally, not professionally.

Answer 7

The disadvantages of using social media to evaluate candidates for a job opening include:

• Some candidates may have little or no social media presence.
• It is harder to uncover positive qualities than negative qualities.
• Social media profiles may not paint a complete picture of people.
• Social media profiles cannot accurately predict future job performance.
• Websites only show what a candidate is like personally, not professionally.

Each of these points highlights potential limitations and issues that employers may face when using social media as a tool for candidate evaluation.