10 Rules for Social Media Background Checks

July 1st, 2012 by JBWK

With employers’ broad use of social media as a background check on applicants becoming a hot-button issue, it’s imperative to make sure you’re doing it right.

To help, there is a useful guide outlining ten guidelines employers should follow when conducting these social media searches. While there is more detail on each at the link, the list includes:

  1. Search only public content
  2. Don’t let the researcher make the hiring decision
  3. Search the same information on each applicant
  4. Tell the applicant you’re doing it
  5. Only search after an initial interview
  6. Comply with all sites’ terms of service
  7. Don’t coerce the applicant
  8. Make a decision based on public content that you can document
  9. Document the results and reasons for the decision
  10. Train the researchers and decision makers
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