According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com (www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/10/jobs_internet.html
), 26% of recruitng managers say they have used Internet search engines to research potential employees.
Of those who used Internet search engines to research job candidates, 51 percent did not hire the person based on what they found. Of those who used social networking sites to research candidates, 63 percent did not hire the person based on what they found.
They pointed to the following types of information discovered on the
Web that caused them to dismiss potential employees. The candidate:
– lied about qualifications (31%)
– had poor communication skills (25%)
– was linked to criminal behaviour (24%)
– was derogatory about their previous company or fellow employees (19%)
– posted information about them drinking or using drugs (19%)
– shared confidential information from previous employers (15%)
– lied about an absence (12%)
– posted provocative or inappropriate photographs (11%)
– had a screen name was unprofessional (8%)
They said the following information discovered on the Web helped to confirm their decision to hire a candidate. The candidate:
– had background information that supported their professional qualifications for the job (64%)
– was well-rounded, showed a wide range of interests (40%)
– had excellent communication skills (34%)
– had a site that conveyed a professional image (31%)
– was creative (23%)
– received awards and accolades (19%)
Other reasons were:
– they got a good feel for the candidate’s personality, could see a good fit within the company culture (31%)
– other people posted great references about the candidate (23%)
If someone searched on your name, what would they find?
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