Help with Facebook Privacy

Posted in Jobseeker Advice

If you were searching the net this week then the chances are you will have been typing in the following phrase: ‘How do I delete my Facebook account?’. On Friday, it was the ninth – top ranked search term: a barometer that the campaign to return to workable privacy settings circa December is gaining momentum but also an indicator of just how important Facebook’s almost 500 million users deem ‘privacy’ as an issue.

As recruiters, we know just how crucial getting those privacy settings in place are. Facebook is by its very nature  a very effective, easy and instant way of keeping in touch with family and friends. Used correctly, it can also be a way of giving future employers a more ‘rounded view’ of a candidate.

Used incorrectly, ie not having the right privacy settings to manage what messages we’re sending out and to whom, well, you can insert your own drunken/ bikini-clad/ swearing post/ inappropriate nightmare scenario here. Believe us, we’ve seen more than our fair share…

The fact is that savvy recruiters and employers do and are conducting their own searches as to the suitability of candidates ia social media outlets such as Facebook. Until the privacy issues are addressed, we suggest candidates address their own online privacy issues, and fast. To help you do this, a couple of useful links – http://bit.ly/facebookadvice and http://bit.ly/checkprivacy