WATCH WHAT YOU POST ON FACEBOOK : HIRERS ARE ALL EYES

BANGALORE: A single unsavoury picture, post or comment on social media can rob you of your dream job. These are increasingly used as a talent sourcing and reference check-point. Irresponsible Facebooking, tweeting or any compromise of social media hygiene could lead to summary rejection.

There are already many cases where offer letters have been withdrawn, or employees have been fired after social media revealed unpleasant details about them.

Pavan Duggal, cyber law expert, said, "Enterprises are increasingly relying on social-media profiles of potential employees to determine their employability. If your social-media profile has an element that will show you in a negative light, then there are chances that your employment would be in jeopardy. Employers today are using social media and other real-time search engines to find out what others are talking about their employees and new hires.''

A fortnight ago, a young technology professional had to return his offer letter from a leading tech firm three days before joining, thanks to his social-media behaviour. The HR head of the company happened to see on Facebook an "objectionable picture'' of this candidate with his roommate with a "gay language'' caption.

A product company hired 29-year-old Rahul Keshav (name changed) as a project head. An excited Rahul started tweeting about his career move, the nature of the new job — all of which was supposed to be confidential. The next day, his new employer fired him for having compromised the confidentiality clause.

Elango R, chief human resources officer, MphasiS, said, "One's social-media behaviour has the potential to make or mar her personal and professional brand. One cannot be seen as an indiscreet individual on social networks. Behaving irresponsibly on public platforms can mean trouble.''

There are instances of HR heads asking for clarifications or explanations from their new recruits on the latter's "unhealthy'' or "questionable'' social media posts. "It could be a negative tweet on a former or current employer, a biased comment about women, a socially, religiously or politically provocative comment or picture. Social media today are an additional window for reference checks,'' said BS Murthy, CEO, Leadership Capital.

Saurabh Govil, senior vice-president (human resources), Wipro Technologies, said, "Looking at social media as an additional reference checkpoint is seen as a progressive trend globally, though we are yet to start it."

Source : The Times of India, August 21, 2012