The Internet has changed the way the world communicates. The verdict is still out, however, on whether this change is for the better or worse. On the upside, digital technology has introduced new ways to instantly reach millions of job seekers and research potential candidates. Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc., allow recruiters to discover both professional and personal information on potential candidates in minutes. This is a very powerful tool, but it comes with even greater responsibility.

Researching potential candidates via social networking presents inherent dangers. LinkedIn, which I like to refer to as "professional media," is relatively benign, but Facebook certainly presents uncharted territory. Recruiters have never had access to this type of detailed personal information in the past. Accessing this information can put you and your company at great risk. So the million-dollar question for organizations like the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is: "How should recruiters handle this?" Is it permissible for recruiters to research potential candidates via social media? Is it fair to allow that research to greatly influence a hiring decision?

Believe it or not, this issue will be a major problem for the HR community all around the country. At this point, we are unaware of any legal precedents; however, it is anticipated that legal action will take place in the future. In my opinion, whether and when we'll have laws or even guidelines is 100 percent voter-related. The political party in control of Congress will dictate whether and when this issue is addressed. Democrats might legislate; Republicans might leave it to the free market. I've been asked about this very topic by many recruiters as well as HR directors, and to be honest with you, I don't know how to answer it. So I thought I would conduct some research, both professional and personal, to find out what practices make sense and which ones place recruiters and their clients at risk.

At the Independent Energy Human Resources Association (IEHRA) conference in Chicago this past October, the question came up repeatedly. The answer has two sides. For employers, a great deal of information about a person can be learned from someone's social media pages. But for job-seekers, is it fair and ethical if recruiters are going to make hiring decisions based largely upon what they do in their personal lives?

Employer
Researching social media sites on potential candidates can provide insight the previously was never routinely obtained. You can find out their favorite music, movies, friends, what they did this past weekend, where they were, where they are right now, religious beliefs, political views and opinions, etc. That is powerful information, and it is tempting to use it to determine whether they'd be a good fit with your company's culture. Hiring managers rightly want to know whether the candidate is someone they'll be able to work with every day. Is the fact that they are a closet Air Supply* fan going to affect the candidate's ability to do the job? How about the fact that the candidate roots for your sports team's arch rival? Personally, I have posted movie quotes without attribution in the past, some of which could be read in a very negative light when being read without context — Jim Carrey movies, especially. A friend of mine recently posted a quote from the character Cosmo Kramer from the 1990s sitcom Seinfeld about a certain type of gin. Non-Seinfeld fans would not understand that quote and might think that that person really enjoys a "no-smell, no-tell brand of gin."

What if a candidate writes his or her own blog? A completely personal blog can seriously influence a hiring decision. Everything you find out through social media can be insightful, but using it also could represent a violation of ethical practices.

Job Seekers
Applicants have always separated their personal personas from their professional agendas, but today's multisource information stream blends the two. I agree when you say that your love for Celine Dion's recording, "My Heart Will Go On"* should in no way affect a possible job. Your social media pages should not affect a hiring decision in any way. The reality, however, is the opposite. This point also pertains to applications for student admission to institutions of higher education. Admissions officers don't necessarily want to see photos of their potential students protesting campus policies, for instance. You can hurt your cause by making your dislikes public.

The age of social media is upon us, and it's not going away. It will evolve, it will get bigger, and it will become more prevalent in people's everyday lives. Many who are active on Facebook have friends who are habitual posters — you might be one yourself. I'm sure some recruiters have researched a few candidates' Twitter feeds, MySpace or Facebook pages. Using social media often just exposes your own predilections and prejudices. Also, a candidate's personal preferences probably do not reflect their likelihood of success in a given job. So my advice to you is: TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! Your gut feeling on a potential hire is way more important than the fact that you are a Red Sox fan while the candidate loves the Yankees. You just never know unless you are personally acquainted with that person. Typically, recruiters aren't that close with potential hires.

Be sure to use your head! EVERYTHING you put out on the Internet is discoverable. Use common sense. I hear about people getting fired because of their social media posts all the time. I guess I should be sympathetic, but if you are "friends" with your boss and you post something like: "I hate my job!" how sorry should I feel for you if you get fired? Recruiters, for the most part, are experts at writing advanced search strings which they can adapt to search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. If you put it on the Internet, they can find it. This, I promise you.

Recruiters
Get back to the basics. Schedule phone interviews so you have a voice to base your judgments on. Trust your instincts; they are typically correct. Stop relying on technology so much during the hiring process. Use it as a tool, but not as the decision maker. Also, protect your company. Violations, fines or possible lawsuits on discriminatory hiring practices are possible and could also very well crop up retroactively. There is no real guideline or set of rules in place and it might just take a lawsuit to get one in place. Document why you didn't extend an offer to candidate A. Your statement that the candidate's Facebook page was the reason would not be appropriate to document.

A personal note to parents: Remember that many teenagers lack common sense and don't look into the future past next weekend. Check their pages and make sure they're not negatively prejudicing their future — especially with photos. Universities are using social media as a way to base decisions on admittance.

Obviously, the jury is still out on all of these issues, and the foregoing advice doesn't answer my question about what is and what is not allowed. Precisely because there are no rules and you can't stop a recruiter from looking at your social media pages, job applicants should exercise good judgment. There is no real way to prove that your social media pages had a negative influence on a recruiter you're trying to impress. As for the recruiters, don't be judgmental with regard to social media pages. Remember that pretty much everything on those pages is easily taken out of context. Professional media pages are a much better tool in your recruiting practices than social media pages. Again, social media is here for the long haul. You can use it as a tool to assist you, but at the same time, it has the potential to negatively impact your life. Whatever happens, the onus is on you. So use your head and trust your gut!

*Please note that the names of universities, artists and sports teams were used for example purposes only and the use in no way reflects the positive or negative views or opinions of the author and EnergyCentralJobs.com.

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