Social Networking has expanded the reach of employee/employer relations.
Two workers at a BC car dealership were recently terminated for making abusive and defamatory comments about their boss on their Facebook pages while outside of work.
Yahoo.ca noted that the employee’s boss caught wind of the comments through the extended networks of the Facebook friends of each of the recently released. Read the story here.
It is always wise not to post anything defamatory or over-personal on Facebook. In the event that you can’t resist, however, at the very least check your privacy settings so that extended networks can’t read what you thought was a conversation between friends.
The New York Times has reported that German lawmakers are about to make it illegal for employers to research job candidates using social networking sites. The move would add Facebook screening to an increasing list of ‘no-goes’ when it comes to unauthorized pre-employee screening. The move has been celebrated by Internet watch-dog sites, though the enforceability of such regulations remains in question. More than 80% of employers admit to using social networking sites to screen potential employees.
Germany has been a leader in many recent Internet privacy rows, including legal proceedings against Google for collecting private data in its Street View program.
Information spreads fast in the social media era. So if you are going to show off your new top-secret prototype gadget like show and tell at elementary school, you might want to think twice about taking it to the local tavern. Apple’s, Gray Powell, found this out the hard way after losing his precious iPhone 4.0 prototype during a momentary lapse of judgment over a few pints of brew. Others at Apple have lost their bread and butter for less significant infractions, but so far the dust has not settled on the fate of Powell as an Apple employee.
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The lesson highlighted here is that intellectual copyright is viral these days making technological secrets harder to keep than ever before. For Apple, what was to be a highly anticipated Fall release has turned into a digital legal row of he said she said that has made the tech savvy blog, Gizmodo, a villain and hero in its wake. At the end of the day, the leak will probably build the hype for the new gadget and make it more coveted than it already is. For Powell however, despite a flood of web sympathy for his simpleton gaff, his desirability as an employee may be far less certain as his tattoo will forever be the ‘guy who lost that iPhone.’
Anyone who has been busted surfing the net at work will surely find some value in this. While we don’t want to encourage any substandard work behavior at DT, a new program, Decreased Productivity, gives browsers the technology to stay one step ahead of an overzealous over-the-shoulder looking employer, and gives us an interesting cultural insight into the information age workplace.
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The concept is simple. The program takes flashy eye catching pages like Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr, strips them of coding, and disguises them as bland early nineties amateur webpages. In theory, when the boss walks by unexpectedly and catches you on a gaming site while stacks of work tower on your desk, you need not worry as your screen and its dubious whereabouts will not catch the managers’ eye. Popular internet icons like the Google header or the Twitter logo are dead give-aways of non-work related browsing, but with the help of a little icon camouflage one can carry on comfortably with their distractions.
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Similar technologies like, Magic Boss Key, which is basically a panic button that hides all info on your desktop (making it irretrievable except to you) and replaces it with ‘work related’ windows, market themselves as privacy wear though no doubt their most popular application is hiding a lackadaisical work ethic.
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While serendipitous and errant browsing has become part of the information age work force, it should not come as a shock as it is simply a new way of doing an old thing. Programs like Decreased Productivity are no different than the advice a co-worker gives on how to pass off water cooler talk as work.
If I get a job on campus, am I familiar with UBC’s policy on the use of information technology?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
Alex gets a job on campus and is given a UBC email address, alex.karpa@ubc.ca. What are her rights and responsibilities when using this professional account?
If you use any UBC computing facilities such as computer labs, networks, software, email (@ubc.ca), etc., you are required to follow UBC’s policy on Responsible Use of Information Technology Facilities and Services. The policy applies to students, faculty and staff at UBC. (Some UBC students are also part-time UBC staff. It doesn’t make any difference!)
For example:
You’re not allowed to use UBC-provided computer accounts or UBC-provided computers for commercial purposes.
It’s okay to use your UBC computer for personal matters, as long as it doesn’t interfere with doing your job/studies. It’s the same as making a quick call to your dentist from your work telephone.
You must not share the password to any UBC-provided account assigned to you. Check out the policy in detail so you know where you stand.
What have you learned in this section? Take the quiz:
Who owns my work-related email address, and how much access do they have to my emails?
Am I connected to co-workers and supervisors on any social networking sites?
Am I aware of my company’s policies regarding confidentiality?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
In early 2013, an employee of KFC was fired after her employers came across a photo of her licking mashed potatoes on social media. Although the employee argued that the picture was taken after the restaurant was closed and the potatoes were never served to a customer, KFC executives took her postings seriously and fired her.
No job is perfect, and the first few jobs you get might actually be awful! Regardless, be careful with whom you talk about your job. Communicating online often means that the material is read by more people than just the intended recipients.
For example, if some of your co-workers are Facebook friends, they will be able to read your Wall posts, group discussion postings or status updates. What will they think when they see comments about your job, your workplace, and them?
Similarly, if you have been given a company email address or use a company computer, your coworkers and bosses might have access to information that was created using their technology. Some companies have clear privacy and confidentiality policies and some do not. Keep your personal correspondence separate from your work: use a different email address for each, and don’t mix them up!
What have you learned in this section? Take the quiz:
What information can employers ask me before offering me a job?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
When interested job applicants were faxed an application for the “Customer Service Evaluators” position at Canada Post, some became suspicious when one portion of the application asked for their banking information. Employers may need banking information to set up direct deposits into their employee’s bank accounts, but that information is never requested until after the person has been hired.
Watch out for job ads that sound too good to be true. If they claim to offer large amounts of money and require no experience, they probably are just looking for your personal information – to sell to junk email advertising companies or to steal your identity.
Watch out for:
Vague ads – research the company on your own to make sure it is legitimate and that the position actually exists. See if they have a website, email address or telephone number, and do a little research. Legitimate employers have nothing to hide, and will be happy to discuss the exact nature of the work they are advertising and the rate and terms of pay if asked.
Somebody calling or emailing you to offer you a job on the spot – even if your resume / e-portfolio looks amazing, most companies will want to meet you in an interview
Employers that ask for personal information such as your birth date, banking information or SIN – offer this only after you’ve been hired
Research the company with the Better Business Bureau – they’ll be able to tell you if the company is legitimate or not, and if there have been any complaints about the company.
Which job sites have privacy policies that I can trust?
Have I deleted my resume after I found a job?
Does my resume include a minimal amount of personal data?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
What have you learned in this section? Take the quiz:
Alex posted her resume online, on Monster.ca and now she receives weekly emails from companies asking her if she would be interested in applying for the position they have available. Isn’t it nice when employers look for you?
Resume banks and databases allow employers to browse through more resumes faster, and search for the exact skills they want.
Uploading your resume to a job site increases your exposure to new opportunities, but there are things you should watch out for:
Not all sites are trustworthy – some can sell your personal information to other, unrelated companies (e.g. marketing companies)
Limit the amount of contact information you provide.
Do include:
an email address that you use only for job-hunting.
Do not include your:
mailing address
date of birth
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
phone number
Names and contact information for the people who’ve agreed to provide a reference for you. You can supply this information during the interview. Keep these people happy and off junk email lists!
Read the site’s privacy policy carefully – it’s a huge red flag when there isn’t one! Make sure you know and agree with:
how they can use (or share or sell) your personal data
how long they will keep your resume.
Print and keep a copy of the policy so you can refer to it if any issues arise.
Don’t hesitate to email or call the company to ask for clarification if you need it
Carefully select a handful of reputable databases for posting your resume to ensure your personal data is kept private. Start with Indeed.com, Workopolis.com, or VancouverJobShop.ca, and don’t forget about industry-specific sites, too. When you’ve finished your job search, delete your resume from the database.
If you aren’t convinced about resume banks don’t worry, many employers aren’t either. According to Today.com “employers and recruiters are sifting through the LinkedIn and Twitter pages of prospective job candidates and reaching out to them directly”. Candidates today need to worry about their “de facto resumés” as much as traditional candidates worry about their paper resumes.
What have you learned in this section? Take the quiz:
How important is personal reflection to my portfolio?
What impact will my eportfolio have on my digital tattoo?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
Busy academic, Sandra, needed a way to manage and share the work that she is involved in as evidence of her developing professional practice. Watch as she considers the process of preparing a portfolio.
An attractive, well-written resume always stands out to employers. By putting your resume online, you have flexibility in formatting and adding interesting features. You can showcase your “artifacts” (coursework, projects, artwork, written samples, and web design) and impress potential employers.
Many UBC classes and programs require students to create an e-portfolio as part of their coursework. The following resources offer a place to start:
How do employers use the web to find out about applicants?
Can my digital tattoo affect my chances of getting a job?
If someone Googles my name, what will they find?
If you are planning to hire someone (or trying to get hired yourself), should personal information found online be ‘fair game’ for the employer who is making the decision?
Consider these questions as you review the examples below. Try the quiz from the left menu: What Have You Learned? after you’ve spent some time with this section.
In late 2009, a survey commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by Cross-Tab investigated how recruiters and HR professionals used online information in their candidate review process. The study explores employees’ and employers’ attitudes on online reputation, and reiterates the great importance of maintaining a positive digital identity in the professional world. More specifically, 85% of US recruiters and HR professionals say that positive online reputation influences their hiring decision, with 70% of these individuals claiming to have rejected candidates based on information they find online. This information is contrasted by the consumer side, with fewer than 15% of surveyed consumers believing that online information has an impact on hiring.
When you’re thinking about a job, whether it is a career or a part-time gig, expect employers to look you up. They use Google, Facebook, and other online channels to see what you’re really like, and tend to conduct deeper searches than many are aware of.
What can you do to make sure your digital tattoo helps your job prospects?
Use an email address that sounds professional– potential employers may hesitate to correspond with suga_lipz@interchange.ubc.ca, or luvz2party@hotmail.com, no matter how catchy those names may be…
Search for your name in both Google and Pipl.com, frequently. If you don’t like what you see, try deleting it by yourself or contact the site administrator politely asking them to do it.
Remove or restrict access to any pictures, messages or videos you would not want your boss or coworkers to see from your online profile.
Check and re-check your Facebook Privacy Settings often! These settings are notorious for being updated very often, so it is important to keep your information up to date.
Be authentic online!
To review, check out this neat Infographic to see how companies are using social media to hire and fire.
For more ideas on how to create a positive online image, both for employers and for yourself, check out our blog for current stories and important digital identity reminders!
What have you learned in this section? Take the quiz:
