Slovensky and Ross (2012) argue that the use of such social network sites like Facebook to conduct a screening of potential job applicants provides lots of benefits to organisations in regards to gaining lots of information about the job applicants that can be used for purpose of supplementing data provided in resumes. The authors note that the process further helps organisations to prevent and thus, address the possibility of negligent hiring, which is directly linked to legal concerns. However, these authors argue that there is a need to effectively ascertain and check on underlying legal considerations and, also issues that relate to information accuracy; privacy and justice while engaging the screening of Facebook posts and pictures. This article is important to this study because it provides both the pros and cons of using information accessed from Facebook for purposes of applicant’s screening hence allow the hiring and HR managers make informed decisions on whether or not to adopt this overall screening approach. Essay Example

Title: The Use of Social Media in Job Selection & Recruitment Process

Statement of Paper’s Purpose; the main focus of this paper is on examining how human resource managers engage social media platforms and especially Facebook to identify the viability of possible job applicants. There have been numerous concerns on both the ethicality and legality of accessing an applicant’s Facebook page without their consent to determine their characters and maturity levels. This is done by way of going through the potential applicant’s page to analyse their daily posts; comments made by their friends and pictures they post in order to establish their accountability and maturity levels in relation to the job vacancies available. In doing so, the paper seeks to explore the two questions below;

1. How do social media platforms like Facebook continue to be used to determine the potentiality of recruiting potential job applicants?

2. Do human resource managers engage aspects of ethics and legal frameworks when conducting Facebook profile examinations for the job applicants? Do they conform to the stipulations set in relation to upholding privacy rights of such applicants?

Literature Review

According to Smith and Kidder (2010), most organisations engage in utilising such social media platforms as Facebook for purpose of gathering relevant information on potential job candidates. It is argued that this platform avails a readily-available channel for which a wide variety of informational data relate to the potential job candidate can be accessed and thereby assist to uncover potential contradictions submitted with resumes. The author’s notes that while it is realistic to engage Facebook to examine the viability of a job applicant, its adoption can be biased especially when inaccurate information is presented in the platform. It can also result to possible privacy legal suits in the event that the access of the pages is done without the consent of the applicant. This article is important to this research since it provides pertinent information on how Facebook can be effectively adopted to assess the viability of a job candidate towards a certain position. It also provides the ethics and legal frameworks behind engaging this platform in the selection and recruitment process.

Brown and Vaughn (2011) argue that there has been extensive evidence of hiring managers and human resource professionals making efforts to establish rather detailed information on a job applicant. It is further noted that there has been studies on the same issue that have ascertained judging of these applicant’s characteristic attributes in relation to the information gathered in the social network site could be accurate. While it is argued that the process is somehow effective, it is however marred with extensive restrictions and legal issues. For instance, the authors ascertain that the degree of publicly-available informational data that can be assessed by employers is somehow unstandardized across all potential job candidates given that some of them might not be using the platform as those that use it could change to private-settings to prevent unnecessary assess. It is agreed that there is a high possibility of discrimination and bias from employers when posts, pictures and images are misinterpreted. This article is important to the study because it indicates how the practice can be conducted in a positive manner. For instance, it calls for the establishment of validity and job-relevance of information accessed from Facebook. It further encourages the organisations practitioners to promote the element of awareness and make efforts to develop possible safeguards against negative outcomes that relates to the misuse of Facebook by employers.

Slovensky and Ross (2012) argue that the use of such social network sites like Facebook to conduct a screening of potential job applicants provides lots of benefits to organisations in regards to gaining lots of information about the job applicants that can be used for purpose of supplementing data provided in resumes. The authors note that the process further helps organisations to prevent and thus, address the possibility of negligent hiring, which is directly linked to legal concerns. However, these authors argue that there is a need to effectively ascertain and check on underlying legal considerations and, also issues that relate to information accuracy; privacy and justice while engaging the screening of Facebook posts and pictures. This article is important to this study because it provides both the pros and cons of using information accessed from Facebook for purposes of applicant’s screening hence allow the hiring and HR managers make informed decisions on whether or not to adopt this overall screening approach.

References

Brown, V. R., & Vaughn, E. D. (2011). The writing on the (Facebook) wall: The use of social networking sites in hiring decisions. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(2), 219.

Slovensky, R., & Ross, W. H. (2012). Should human resource managers use social media to screen job applicants? Managerial and legal issues in the USA. Info, 14(1), 55-69.

Smith, W. P., & Kidder, D. L. (2010). You’ve been tagged! (Then again, maybe not): Employers and Facebook. Business Horizons, 53(5), 491-499.