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| Social Networks Role in Graduate Recruitment |
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Social Media could Jeopardise your Job Prospects gradzone was recently asked to comment for the Wits student newspaper, ‘Vuvuzela’, about the dangers of social networking sites when it comes to finding employment. This is what we had to say: “In the ever increasing digital world that we live in it is important that you have a good Google CV. A Google CV is the result Google yields when a search is done on your name. Students are infamous for airing all their sometimes very personal stuff on Facebook. Beware if your privacy settings are not set high on Facebook as your profile can be publicly searched on Google! Employers are known to check out a potential employees’ Google CV." Furthermore, we commented that: “One employer did a search on an applicant and found a poem on the Internet that she wrote about her ‘first time’. Certainly this is an experience that you do not want to happen to you. Remember that whatever you do in cyberspace is permanent and traceable. As Mark Zuckerberg’s ex-girlfriend’s character in the film ‘The Social Network’ says: “The Internet's not written in pencil, Mark, it's written in ink”.” The Wits student newspaper article in ‘Vuvuzela’ went onto say: The recent sacking of a top theatre personality over his alleged anti-Semitic comments about his theatre bosses on Facebook has highlighted the impact that social networks have on the image of employees in the workplace. The fired Market Theatre Laboratory Head , Matjamela Motloung, is taking the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), arguing that he regarded Facebook as a "private space”, the ‘Sowetan’ reported. As we celebrated Human Rights Day on 21st of March, Section 14 of our Bill of Rights is clear on the individual’s right to privacy, stating, “Everyone has a right to privacy, which includes the right to not have their privacy or their communications infringed.” Media law expert, Dario Milo from Webber Wentzel, gives his legal opinion on the matter of social networks and privacy, “If someone shares their otherwise private information on a social networking site and does not take steps to ensure that their information is protected, for example only allows "friends" to access it, then there is no invasion of privacy in circumstances where a third party (a prospective employer or otherwise) accesses that information.” It is then mandatory that students and graduates keep this in mind when applying for a job. You have been warned that an employer may ask for your Facebook profile link or Twitter account name. Therefore what one has on those accounts can determine a job offer or decline. This article is adapted from an article student journalist, Yanga Soji, originally wrote for ‘Vuvuzela’. Tweet To see the original article, please click here. Do you have a relevant article for gradzone? Then e-mail us on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |