Friday, November 25, 2005
Ever since I started this weblog and realized there are lots of these out there, I make it a point to Google every candidate we get serious about extending an offer to. You never know what you'll find out there. Examples of poor writing, poor judgment, unattractive fashion choices, it's all somewhere on the Internet. Occasionally I hit the jackpot and find someone's weblog and get to learn all about them before they ever come in for the callback. It's always exciting to have that upper hand in terms of personal information. I want to know as much as I can, so I have power.
One thing I've recently started doing is searching on Friendster and a site called "My Space" and seeing what comes up. I'm consistently surprised as to what people will put out there on the Internet, expecting it won't be seen by potential employers. People actually list interests on Friendster and expect that won't be held against them. If you're listing a dozen books you've read, how can I not assume you like to read, and that the time you spend reading is time you can't spend working? If you enjoy sports, how can I not assume you're going to be out playing instead of in the office, working? If you enjoy reading AND sports, how will you ever have time for this job?
And if you're actively looking for a relationship, I'm not sure you really understand what kind of commitment this career requires.
But what I hadn't thought of doing until last night is using the Internet to find personal information about family members. At Thanksgiving dinner, one of Anonymous Wife's anonymous cousins, a junior in high school, was talking about how she and everyone she knows is on one of these sites. So I did a little bit of searching when I got home, and discovered she paints a very different picture to her friends as she does to her family. With us, she's a studious young girl, excelling in her classes. With her friends, she's just another example of what's wrong with today's spoiled, indulgent young people. There's some pictures on there I certainly don't think she would want her parents to see. There's some "testimonials" I'm sure she wouldn't want them to read. For now I'm just keeping this information to myself. But surely one day down the road, there'll be a way to use it. It never hurts to know someone's secrets.
One thing I've recently started doing is searching on Friendster and a site called "My Space" and seeing what comes up. I'm consistently surprised as to what people will put out there on the Internet, expecting it won't be seen by potential employers. People actually list interests on Friendster and expect that won't be held against them. If you're listing a dozen books you've read, how can I not assume you like to read, and that the time you spend reading is time you can't spend working? If you enjoy sports, how can I not assume you're going to be out playing instead of in the office, working? If you enjoy reading AND sports, how will you ever have time for this job?
And if you're actively looking for a relationship, I'm not sure you really understand what kind of commitment this career requires.
But what I hadn't thought of doing until last night is using the Internet to find personal information about family members. At Thanksgiving dinner, one of Anonymous Wife's anonymous cousins, a junior in high school, was talking about how she and everyone she knows is on one of these sites. So I did a little bit of searching when I got home, and discovered she paints a very different picture to her friends as she does to her family. With us, she's a studious young girl, excelling in her classes. With her friends, she's just another example of what's wrong with today's spoiled, indulgent young people. There's some pictures on there I certainly don't think she would want her parents to see. There's some "testimonials" I'm sure she wouldn't want them to read. For now I'm just keeping this information to myself. But surely one day down the road, there'll be a way to use it. It never hurts to know someone's secrets.
# posted by Anonymous @ 9:46 PM 
