Should you scope out a potential employees Facebook?
Feb
21
Written by:
2/21/2012 12:07 AM
Just as it is important to do some research into your local New York courier before choosing to hire them to handle your company's logistic services, in the past few years, many companies have also reported looking at a candidate's Facebook page in an attempt to get a better idea of the person's social life and professional background. For a business owner, Facebook can be a valuable tool in making your hiring decisions.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a new study conducted by researchers from Northern Illinois University, the University of Evansville and Auburn University has indicated that Facebook is actually quite a good method for determining qualities in a potential new employee.
In the experiment, one professor and two students were asked to rate the Facebook profiles of more than 50 candidates. In particular, they noted how many Facebook friends each person had, their hobbies and interests, educational and work-related backgrounds and of course, photographs.
Based on their profiles, the three participants were then asked to answer a survey about what type of employee that candidate would likely be.
Next, the researchers waited six months to follow up with evaluations from these students' faculty supervisors. Surprisingly, the results were pretty accurate.
"They found a strong correlation between job performance and the Facebook scores for traits such as conscientiousness, agreeability and intellectual curiosity," wrote the article's author, Leslie Kwoh.
If your business hasn't considering looking at a candidate's Facebook page, it is something to consider. Keep in mind however, that requesting to be his or her friend might be the best way to do so, as it is a more forthcoming way to view their personal page.
