‘Internet’ and ‘job’ are generally mentioned in the same sentence when it comes to recruitment advertisements. But it emerges that employers are now using ‘internet reputation’ (or ‘NetRep’, if you’re up with the lingo) to help them make decisions about people applying for jobs at their organisation.
It is becoming common practice ‘to Google’ potential interviewees to verify background details or discover some interesting facts about them, and some employers are checking out personal information that candidates have posted on blogs or social websites, such as MySpace or YouTube.
While social networking may allow some applicants to display their amazing internet skills and reveal talents not apparent on their CV, others may ruin their career chances by cataloguing their drunken exploits on a blog for all and sundry to see. Basically, the dodgier the posting, the more likely they’ll be fast-tracked to the rejection pile, according to business social network Viadeo.
There have already been cases of employees getting the sack because of their blogs – though the ensuing publicity can often cause more damage to the company than to the individual.
If used well, blogs can enhance your corporate reputation. If you’d like to know how, we outline how to build a safe blogging culture in this week’s Trade Secrets feature. Whether your organisation blogs, or has no intention of doing so, our expert advises that you create a blogging policy anyway so that you can still encourage people to blog, while ensuring your employer brand is protected.
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If all that hasn’t put you off, Personnel Today is looking for someone to blog anonymously about life in HR. If you think you’ve got what it takes, e-mail [email protected].
Given the wicked insights and workplace wisdom from our very own Guru on his blog, we wonder what you might make of his NetRep how many of you would give him a job?
