Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008

Facebook profile likely to play role in hiring decisions

By Ken Robertson, Herald Executive Editor

Want a job?

Forget about getting together all the usual stuff. You know, that booooring list of education, references, experience, previous jobs, blah, blah, blah ....

First, you better take a hard look at your Facebook profile.

Scour it for “inappropriate” content, suggests new research published by Katherine Karl of Marshall University and Joy Peluchette of the University of Southern Indiana.

And what exactly might that content be? Well, this won’t surprise folks who are 40 or more, but it must be a revelation to many twentysomethings. Otherwise, they probably wouldn’t post it for millions to see.

Among the “inappropriate” materials for your Facebook page are comments about sexual activity, alcohol abuse, drug use, profanity and negative attitudes about work.

That’s according to Megan Childs, a marketing communications coordinator for IGI Global in Hershey, Pa.

The researchers studied 148 graduate students taking human resources and organizational behavior courses. The students played the role of hiring manager and were provided access to five job applicants’ Facebook profiles.

They agreed “they would be unlikely to pursue” applicants who posted information about those five forbidden topics — sexual activity, alcohol abuse, drug use, profanity and poor attitudes about work.

The most imperative Facebook cleanup should begin with references to drug use and work attitude, which are most likely to get a job application tossed, the study found.

“Women are more likely than men to suffer negative consequences,” Karl and Peluchette also advise.

Even in the virtual world, women apparently face a stricter standard. The students were a tad more willing to let the boys be boys.

Ken Robertson: 582-1520; krobertson@tricityherald.com