Using Social Media When Hiring? Here's What You Need To Know Social media can be a powerful tool in the recruitment process, offering insights that go beyond the typical information in a CV. However, it's important to use this tool responsibly, ensuring you respect candidates' privacy and avoid bias.

Social media has become an integral part of our personal and professional lives. No one is going to argue against that. For hiring managers and recruiters specifically, it's an invaluable tool that offers insights into a candidate's personality–but it raises several important ethical questions. It's also important to consider that not all applicants have social media accounts, even in 2024, and even if they do have a social media presence, it can often be difficult to confirm the accuracy of the information presented. So, there are certainly pitfalls.

However, I believe a strong social media hiring strategy and a plan to mitigate ethical concerns can bring excellent results. A CareerBuilder survey showed that almost three-quarters of employers had looked at applicants' social media profiles as part of their screening process, and over half had rejected applicants because of what they found on those sites. This is clearly a pressing issue, and one that needs to be addressed carefully.

In this article, I'll discuss best practices when using social media during hiring, which areas need particular care, and how to build a robust social media hiring strategy.

WHY USE SOCIAL MEDIA IN HIRING?

Let's start by asking why you would want to use social media in the first place. What additional information can you gather that you might otherwise not be able to access? It breaks down into four key areas:

• Understanding cultural fit Social media profiles can offer a glimpse into a candidate's interests, hobbies, and values, thereby helping you assess whether they would be a good cultural fit for your organization. For instance, their posts and interactions might reveal their enthusiasm for teamwork, community involvement, or industry-related topics.
• Getting a sense of professionalism Platforms such as LinkedIn provide a window into a candidate's professional life, showcasing their experience, endorsements, and recommendations. Additionally, how people present themselves on more casual platforms such as X or Instagram can give clues about their professionalism outside a formal work environment.
• Going beyond the CV Candidates often share their accomplishments, projects and expertise on social media, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn or GitHub for tech professionals. These posts can offer concrete evidence of skills, complementing the information provided in CVs.
• Finding passive candidates Passive candidates are those who are not actively looking for a new job, and are more or less content with their current job. However, they might check the latest job posts on social media out of curiosity. Once contact has been made, social also makes for easier interaction with interested candidates in the future.

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DEVELOPING STRATEGIES: SOCIAL MEDIA IN HIRING

Rather than jumping straight into the deep end, it's important to take a moment to figure out what strategy you're going to apply when using social media in hiring. Here's how:

• Develop a clear policy Establish guidelines on how social media will be used in the recruitment process. This policy should include what platforms will be checked, what type of information is relevant, and how the findings will be used in the hiring decision.
• Obtain consent It's good practice to inform candidates that their social media profiles may be reviewed as part of the hiring process. This transparency can help build trust and avoid any misunderstandings.
• Stay focused on professional relevance When reviewing a candidate's social media, concentrate on information that is directly relevant to their ability to perform the job. Avoid making judgments based on personal lifestyle choices that have no bearing on their professional role.
• Use social media as a complement, not a replacement Social media should be just one of many tools used in the hiring process. It can provide supplementary information, but it should not replace traditional methods like interviews, reference checks, and skills assessments.

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WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA IN HIRING?

Back in 2020, a major piece of research was undertaken, looking at how social media is used in hiring. Published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, the study noted that some of the information job seekers had posted (education, work experience, and extra­curricular activities) covered areas that organizations would legitimately assess.

However, a significant share of profiles contained details that companies may be prohibited from considering, including gender, race and ethnicity (these three were evident in 100% of the profiles surveyed). In addition, other factors were also present in the profiles, including disabilities (7%), pregnancy status (3%), sexual orientation (59%), political views (21%) and religious beliefs (41%). Finally, just over 50% of profiles contained profanity, 11% indicated gambling, 26% showed or referenced alcohol consumption, and 7% referenced drug use.

The research focused on how recruiters rated these candidates having looked at the content of their social media profiles. While the recruiters were trying to assess solely legitimate criteria, it was impossible not to be swayed by factors that were supposedly off-limits. It's a fairly typical human response, and it certainly shows that even when guidelines are in place, it can be difficult to ignore certain elements of a potential candidate's social media profile. To that end, candidates who were married or engaged generally ranked higher than those who were single; perhaps surprisingly, older individuals rated more highly than younger; women higher than men; and those who indicated religious beliefs ranked lower than those who did not.

So, it's critical to understand how difficult it is to separate what you do and don't see, and disregard information that is not supposed to be part of the assessment.

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What are the ethical implications of using social media in hiring?

We've touched on ethics, so let's look at this area in more detail.

• Bias and discrimination As the study showed, one of the most significant risks of using social media in hiring is the potential for unconscious bias. A candidate's profile might reveal personal information such as age, gender, race, religion, or political views, which could inadvertently influence your decision-making process. It's crucial to remain objective and focus on the candidate's qualifications and fit for the role, rather than personal characteristics.
• Privacy concerns While much of what is posted on social media is public, there is still an expectation of privacy. Delving too deeply into someone's personal life, especially if it's unrelated to their professional abilities, can be seen as invasive. It's essential to respect boundaries and avoid using information that's irrelevant to the job.
• Inaccuracy of information Social media can present a curated version of someone's life. People often highlight their successes and downplay their failures, creating a potentially misleading image. Not everything on social media is reliable, and relying too heavily on these platforms could lead to incorrect assumptions about a candidate.

Once we have acknowledged the ethical pitfalls, it's time to start putting together an ethical strategy to apply throughout the process. This might include these approaches:

• Develop and implement a strict policy regarding social media recruiting practices.
• Request and obtain written acknowledgements before reviewing a candidate's social media accounts.
• Don't use any information deemed discriminatory in your decision-making process, such as a candidate's disability.
• Document each site you visit and everything you will use in the decision-making process, omitting personal information and including only professionally related data such as education, work history and other credentials.

Social media can be a powerful tool in the recruitment process, offering insights that go beyond the typical information in a CV. However, it's important to use this tool responsibly, ensuring you respect candidates' privacy and avoid bias. By following best practices and maintaining a clear focus on professional relevance, you can make more informed hiring decisions while upholding the integrity of your recruitment process.

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