Google at the job fair: Ethical hiring in a changing world, part 1
From the September 2008 issue of Ceridian Connection
Do you or your hiring managers Google job candidates as part of employment background checks? The use of the Internet to perform a background search on a candidate is just one of the tough calls faced by HR professionals who are involved with company hiring. Learn more about hiring, recruiting, and the ethical and social responsibilities of business in our special two-part series, Google at the job fair: Ethical hiring in a changing world.
"Of course I use the Internet to screen potential hires. Everybody does."
"I would never Google a job candidate. It violates the person's privacy -- and puts my company at risk."
"HR does not Google potential employees -- but some of our hiring managers do."
"We always use Internet search. It is a great way to show due diligence if there is a problem with an employee later."
Perhaps your recruiters use Google searches during employment background checks. Maybe one of your hiring managers routinely uses the Internet to perform an informal background people search. It is done every day. But is it ethical? The Googling of potential hires sparks passionate discussion -- and there are advocates on both sides of the issue. In the first of our two-part series on hiring and recruiting, Ceridian experts help clarify the ethical and social responsibilities of business in a changing world.
Tough ethical questions
HR professionals operate in a social culture that changes just as quickly as technology evolves. Business expectations are changing, too. And nothing demonstrates the pace of change more clearly than the controversy surrounding the use of the Internet in the hiring process.
Some say it is required. Others say it is illegal. Strong feelings are involved and difficult decisions must be made. And amid all the controversy, it is still HR's responsibility to ensure that the hiring policies you create support your company's ethical standards and business goals.
The risks and rewards of Internet search
A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that nearly half of the HR professionals who responded run a candidate's name through a search engine such as Google or Yahoo! before making an offer. About one in five of those HR professionals who conduct such searches said they have disqualified a candidate because of what they uncovered.
Lisa Hart, Ceridian product manager for Talent Acquisition and Management, describes why people Google a job candidate. "It's very tempting," she says. "There is a good chance that the information will be something that is not found in the standard background check. For example, a person's Internet presence might give some indication of how they would fit into company culture. And thanks to social networking and association sites, you might discover information about your candidate that could be considered an asset. These discoveries could be positive outcomes of an Internet search."
The use of Internet searches in this context also presents some substantive risks, Hart says. "These same searches could uncover things of a personal nature about a candidate, perhaps involving sexual orientation or disability. You might discover that a potential hire is a member of an organization you find distasteful. It is illegal to consider this information as part of the hiring process." Hart adds, "It goes back to the adage that just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
The Internet search as responsible hiring practice
Some companies embrace the use of the Internet to search a person's background. "Even if a search turns up nothing negative about a candidate, it may help an employer show due diligence and fend off a negligent hiring charge if relations with a new hire turn ugly later," according to one HR professional.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently changed its hiring policies to ensure that more job candidates will have their backgrounds searched on the Internet. The agency already had a policy of Googling certain potential hires, but the policy was broadened after the TSA admitted they erred in the hiring of Sonia Pitt, who had just been fired from her executive-level job at the Minnesota Department of Transportation due to financial improprieties. The TSA was criticized because it had not used common Internet search engines to perform a background search.
Hiring managers Google, too
Tiffany Hall, Ceridian staffing consultant, acknowledges that many hiring managers use Internet searches. "But you cannot unclick a mouse," she says. "So it could be argued that your company rejected a candidate based on what you found out about the person's race, religion or marital status. Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act are a risk, too. You cannot conduct a background check without notifying job applicants and obtaining their consent."
And do not overlook state regulations. Hall says, "Just because a hiring manager is turned off by the raunchy material somebody posts on Facebook or MySpace does not mean it can be used to disqualify a candidate. Many states limit the extent to which employers can consider off-duty conduct in making a hiring decision."
Create strong, ethical hiring policies
SHRM plainly states that using Internet information to screen job candidates is not advised. Nor does Ceridian engage in the practice. John Higgins, senior director of Ceridian Talent Acquisition & Management, explains why. "Data needs to be verifiable, and what's on the Web is not verifiable. Material you perceive to be objectionable might have been maliciously placed."
Higgins believes every company should have a clear policy about the Internet searches. "You must decide whether or not this is something you want to add to your hiring policies. Consider education that clearly describes how you hire talent into the company, and make sure your managers know who is responsible for what. It is important to get role clarity."
If your company determines it wants to conduct Internet searches, Higgins suggests documenting criteria that will provide consistency. "Agree upon a standard by which employment consideration can be altered based on what you have found. If you are going to take an adverse action toward a candidate, you are going to need standards that authorize and support the decision. Any policy should be ratified by your company's legal counsel."
Turning a blind eye to Googling has its own implications, Higgins says. "The fact that hiring managers are gaining access to new insights -- and using that information in employment decisions -- needs to be managed and challenged by HR. Be certain what your policies are, why they are legally defensible and why the process needs to be managed appropriately."
No matter where you stand on the issue of Googling job candidates, one fact remains: it is HR's responsibility to ensure that hiring policies support your company's ethical standards and business goals. Let Ceridian Talent Acquisition & Management solutions help your organization move forward with confidence in today's challenging times.
Read Google in the job fair: ethical hiring in a changing world, part 2
Do you or your hiring managers Google job candidates as part of employment background checks? The use of the Internet to perform a background search on a candidate is just one of the tough calls faced by HR professionals who are involved with company hiring. Learn more about hiring, recruiting, and the ethical and social responsibilities of business in our special two-part series, Google at the job fair: Ethical hiring in a changing world.
"Of course I use the Internet to screen potential hires. Everybody does."
"I would never Google a job candidate. It violates the person's privacy -- and puts my company at risk."
"HR does not Google potential employees -- but some of our hiring managers do."
"We always use Internet search. It is a great way to show due diligence if there is a problem with an employee later."
Perhaps your recruiters use Google searches during employment background checks. Maybe one of your hiring managers routinely uses the Internet to perform an informal background people search. It is done every day. But is it ethical? The Googling of potential hires sparks passionate discussion -- and there are advocates on both sides of the issue. In the first of our two-part series on hiring and recruiting, Ceridian experts help clarify the ethical and social responsibilities of business in a changing world.
Tough ethical questions
HR professionals operate in a social culture that changes just as quickly as technology evolves. Business expectations are changing, too. And nothing demonstrates the pace of change more clearly than the controversy surrounding the use of the Internet in the hiring process.
Some say it is required. Others say it is illegal. Strong feelings are involved and difficult decisions must be made. And amid all the controversy, it is still HR's responsibility to ensure that the hiring policies you create support your company's ethical standards and business goals.
The risks and rewards of Internet search
A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that nearly half of the HR professionals who responded run a candidate's name through a search engine such as Google or Yahoo! before making an offer. About one in five of those HR professionals who conduct such searches said they have disqualified a candidate because of what they uncovered.
Lisa Hart, Ceridian product manager for Talent Acquisition and Management, describes why people Google a job candidate. "It's very tempting," she says. "There is a good chance that the information will be something that is not found in the standard background check. For example, a person's Internet presence might give some indication of how they would fit into company culture. And thanks to social networking and association sites, you might discover information about your candidate that could be considered an asset. These discoveries could be positive outcomes of an Internet search."
The use of Internet searches in this context also presents some substantive risks, Hart says. "These same searches could uncover things of a personal nature about a candidate, perhaps involving sexual orientation or disability. You might discover that a potential hire is a member of an organization you find distasteful. It is illegal to consider this information as part of the hiring process." Hart adds, "It goes back to the adage that just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
The Internet search as responsible hiring practice
Some companies embrace the use of the Internet to search a person's background. "Even if a search turns up nothing negative about a candidate, it may help an employer show due diligence and fend off a negligent hiring charge if relations with a new hire turn ugly later," according to one HR professional.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently changed its hiring policies to ensure that more job candidates will have their backgrounds searched on the Internet. The agency already had a policy of Googling certain potential hires, but the policy was broadened after the TSA admitted they erred in the hiring of Sonia Pitt, who had just been fired from her executive-level job at the Minnesota Department of Transportation due to financial improprieties. The TSA was criticized because it had not used common Internet search engines to perform a background search.
Hiring managers Google, too
Tiffany Hall, Ceridian staffing consultant, acknowledges that many hiring managers use Internet searches. "But you cannot unclick a mouse," she says. "So it could be argued that your company rejected a candidate based on what you found out about the person's race, religion or marital status. Violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act are a risk, too. You cannot conduct a background check without notifying job applicants and obtaining their consent."
And do not overlook state regulations. Hall says, "Just because a hiring manager is turned off by the raunchy material somebody posts on Facebook or MySpace does not mean it can be used to disqualify a candidate. Many states limit the extent to which employers can consider off-duty conduct in making a hiring decision."
Create strong, ethical hiring policies
SHRM plainly states that using Internet information to screen job candidates is not advised. Nor does Ceridian engage in the practice. John Higgins, senior director of Ceridian Talent Acquisition & Management, explains why. "Data needs to be verifiable, and what's on the Web is not verifiable. Material you perceive to be objectionable might have been maliciously placed."
Higgins believes every company should have a clear policy about the Internet searches. "You must decide whether or not this is something you want to add to your hiring policies. Consider education that clearly describes how you hire talent into the company, and make sure your managers know who is responsible for what. It is important to get role clarity."
If your company determines it wants to conduct Internet searches, Higgins suggests documenting criteria that will provide consistency. "Agree upon a standard by which employment consideration can be altered based on what you have found. If you are going to take an adverse action toward a candidate, you are going to need standards that authorize and support the decision. Any policy should be ratified by your company's legal counsel."
Turning a blind eye to Googling has its own implications, Higgins says. "The fact that hiring managers are gaining access to new insights -- and using that information in employment decisions -- needs to be managed and challenged by HR. Be certain what your policies are, why they are legally defensible and why the process needs to be managed appropriately."
No matter where you stand on the issue of Googling job candidates, one fact remains: it is HR's responsibility to ensure that hiring policies support your company's ethical standards and business goals. Let Ceridian Talent Acquisition & Management solutions help your organization move forward with confidence in today's challenging times.
Read Google in the job fair: ethical hiring in a changing world, part 2
