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Would you let a prospective employer snoop around in your social media accounts? More and more employers are reportedly asking to do just that.
According to Reuters, studies have shown that examining a job seeker's Facebook profile can yield more information than a personality test. However, as social media users become more security-conscious, employers are asking for -- and in some cases getting - access to private information.
USA Today reports that a Maryland correctional officer willingly gave his password during an interview because he feared that failure to do so would prevent him from gaining employment.
"I needed my job to feed my family. I had to," he recalled, according to the USA Today article.
New York statistician Justin Bassett felt differently.
During Bassett's interview, the Associated Press reports, the interviewer turned to her computer to peruse Bassett's Facebook profile. When she could not access the private section of his profile, she asked Bassett to provide his login information. Bassett refused and said he did not want to work for a company that would request that information.
But what if you needed the job? Would you turn over your login information if you thought it would help you secure employment? Do you believe employers have the right to request such personal information?
Some people believe the practice is completely appropriate. J. Swift, in a guest post on Forbes.com, wrote, "Now that users have mastered Facebook’s privacy settings, it has become harder for HR personnel to do the necessary background checks on job applicants. Employers have little recourse but to demand direct access."
Swift maintains the practice helps protect organizations from "bad apples" and questions why anyone would want to hire someone who refused to provide the information.
louisecolagreco
8:46 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
no I would not
louisecolagreco
8:47 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
No I would not
Toniann Antonelli
9:52 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
Just wondering....In addition to feeling like an invasion of privacy, if a potential employer DID see your Facebook page, what would concern you the most: him/her seeing the pics you have posted or your comments/status updates?
Camilo H. Smith
11:04 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
I think most people are worried about the pics from Cabo ... or the Jersey Shore in July. Just my thoughts.
Dick NeGregorio
11:08 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
I think when potential employees find out my password is "istealofficesupplies247" I doubt they would still go through the motions of checking my timeline.
Jessica Remo
2:11 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
HA!! Good one, Dick!
Charles Davis
11:21 am on Monday, March 26, 2012
Who is liable for the identity theft when the information is parlayed into a REAL security problem?
Pat Quattrocchi
1:03 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
A good recruiter worth their salt can get more information than people realize and does not need to dig into a potential employees Facebook etc......the only exception in my mind would be for employment requiring some sort of security clearance for dealing with top secret information/projects.
Monk
8:39 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
PQ, at first, I thought Quattroocchi might be translated "Four-eyes". But Google Translate says "Golden Eyes". That's pretty cool!
EP&L Electric Co.
4:12 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Giving anyone your password to your facebook account is a violation of your user agreement. Item 3.5 of "Safety" Under "Terms" prohibits anyone from accessing your information "You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else."
Megan Riley
4:17 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
What were potential employers doing BEFORE the advent of FB? Give me a break, Big Brother!
DAM
9:13 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
I've never visited the site, haven't an "account", and gave up imaginary "friends"
before I reached the age of 10 ... my best to those who choose to use precious
time on Facebook; I never will.
Pops Ferguson
8:18 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Do yourself a favor and delete yourself from this as quickly as possible or use only an alias that you let family and friends know.
jeff goldstein
9:05 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I wouldn't give a potential employer my password and wouldn't want to work for anyone that wanted it. In all the people that I am friends with on facebook from students to grandparents almost none have anything that should matter to a potential employer. There are a few alcohol related photos but they bear no relation if the person would be a good employee or not.
Eileen Sivartsen
9:26 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I protect my personal information as I protect the computer used at my place of business. I never reveal my passwords at my workplace and , therefore, never reveal my personal passwords, or by extension, personal information of friends and associates.
John
9:40 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
In this day and age of numerous jobseekers and too few available positions, this practice is rapidly becoming more the "rule" than the "exception". Employers can ill-afford to NOT, over-investigate to find the "cream of the crop" employee. You can claim the "invasion" card all you want. Until someone challenges this practice in a court of law and sets a precedent, this practice will continue. My only advice is, don't post anything, on any social media, that you wouldn't want your Grandmother to see.
Barney Oldfield
3:51 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Anyone know of a specific employer who does this routinely? If so, please let me know. I would love to apply for a position, refuse their request and then sue them for a couple million bucks.
John
6:38 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Good luck with that!
Janet
10:07 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Absolutely not! That's personal correspondence with family & friends and has nothing to do with your job!
Charlie Beakes
12:03 am on Thursday, March 29, 2012
Absolutely NO WAY!
Cozy Corner Chateau
10:24 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
I believe if anyone wants to find out what someone posted on their timeline, they can with some investigative work. The issue I would have is the personal emails between you and your family/friends. FB does have the ability to send personal emails through their site, so how can you be required to provide a password to a site that can hold private emails?