by Jason Morris

If all reporters read the employeescreen University Blog ,stories like this would be more interesting and full of facts! We have written countless times about using social networking sites to conduct background checks. This story focuses more on the recruiter using it as a tool, still a bad practice but not a violation of the FCRA.

By Samantha Anderson

COLORADO SPRINGS - There’s a growing tend in the number of employers going above and beyond the resume to check on potential candidates.

More and more employers are using social networking sites, such as Myspace and Facebook, during the hiring process.

Management recruiter, Ken Cantin, uses these sites as tools to get know his recruits. “It’s a lot easier for an employer when they can see what someone looks like.”

Job Analyst, Steve Fehl, said employers “want to see if you are the kind of person who’s going to fit into our culture, our environment, and are you going to be able to interact?”

But what happens when there’s just a little too much information on your web site?

More

by Nick Fishman

I love Facebook.  I started using it earlier this year when I began to rail against the use of Social Networking sites in the employment screening process.  I felt that if I was going condemn this practice, I better understand what exactly I find objectionable.

What I didn’t expect to happen is that I would actually enjoy using it.  It was a great way to get in touch with people and to catch up.  However, it didn’t change my opinion about why it should not be used by employers to make a hiring decision.  My list of objections hasn’t changed (please refer back to prior blogs if you are interested), but I continue to find great articles on the topic that validate my opinion.

Read “Facebook a risky tool for background checks, lawyers warn” published  on  FinancialWeek.com