Job applicants and social media: Employers take 'eyes wide shut' approach

MPR News

...Some hire an outside company, such as Social Intelligence or Sterling, to conduct the social media research for them. Others delegate the research to an employee who is not part of the hiring process.

Third parties would then delete from their reports on job candidates any legally sensitive information, like race or age.

That kind of approach may help avoid lawsuits, but it could harm the recruiting process, said Jason Averbook, chief business innovation officer at Appirio, a company that counsels businesses on talent management.

Recruiters and hiring managers need to worry about finding the talent and not obsess over the problems that could come up during the search, Averbook said.

"Do I focus on those 'coulds' and not do it?" he asked. "Or do I focus on the things that are truly going to get me the best people, and deal with the 'coulds' as an exception?"

Averbook said employers in sectors like information technology cannot wall themselves off from social media. They need those avenues to identify talented workers they can poach from other companies. That's because the workers they need aren't seeking new jobs...

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