Jobseekers warned to protect online reputations
29 January 2010
Jobseekers are being warned to consider their online reputations when applying for new positions.
Categories:
Working life
|
People management
By Sara White
Four in ten HR managers have chosen not to hire a candidate based on information they have seen on a social networking site such as Facebook, according to research by Microsoft.
The survey of 1,000 HR professionals also highlighted that 64% think it is appropriate to search the web for information on potential employees.
However, a survey of 1,000 jobseekers said that less than half (41%) felt it was their responsibility to ensure their online reputation is protected.
Cliff Evans, head of privacy and security at Microsoft UK, said: "Ignoring your online reputation is no longer an option. Reputation and information sharing as a privacy issue should be a major concern for individuals, particularly in a challenging economic environment where jobs are scarce."
The study also found that HR managers in the UK are more likely to make use of social networks during the recruitment process than their European counterparts, with 41% using information found on them to reject candidates, compared with 16% in Germany and 14% in France.
Research released earlier this month by Careerbuilder.co.uk said that 53% of employers disregarded candidates after finding out they had lied about their qualifications or behaved in an inappropriate manner on social networking sites.
