Potential employer facebook add

PrinceMax

I applied for a job, the employer got back to me to ask me a few more questions by email - at the same time, adding me as a friend on facebook. Should I confirm the request? I have nothing to hide, but I just don't like the idea of adding someone I've never met and who is obviously using it to find out more about me. Do you think failure to confirm as friend will hinder my chances of getting the job?

PrinceMax

Just to clarify, it is an agency. An agency consultant added me.

bongi69

On principle, I would deny the request. It should be your professional life that a potential employer looks at, not your personal.

However, I do get where you're coming from saying that it might look bad, and that you have something to hide etc etc.

Tom Dunne

No flippin' way.

Are you mad? Seriously, I wouldn't do it. Keep your personal life personal, and your professional life professional. I wouldn't trust a recruitment agent with personal information like that.

Created a LinkedIn account to keep things separate.

old_aussie

Under no circumstance add them as a friend....because they're not your friend.

It will look bad to others

Victor

And stay off facebook for the next while. They you can honestly answer "Oh, I haven't checked it recently".

It does show that they've stalked you.

eth0_

NO WAY! And make your profile private in both the facebook search results and search engine indexing!

Although, as Facebook is sh*t, this doesn't work. My profile is supposedly totally private yet i've had randomers add me and send me messages..

gandalf

Tom Dunne wrote: »

No flippin' way.

Are you mad? Seriously, I wouldn't do it. Keep your personal life personal, and your professional life professional. I wouldn't trust a recruitment agent with personal information like that.

Created a LinkedIn account to keep things separate.

That's what I would do. My Facebook is for friends I know and Linkedin is for business contacts.

Structure the Linkedin like you would a CV.

PrinceMax

Thanks. I'll stick to the advice given. The whole thing makes me rather uneasy

dan_d

That's weird. And way too instrusive for my liking.

T-rev

randomers can add you, you will still come up in facebook search. and you can also send a message even if they are private.

i only add people on facebook that i actually know in person. none of this friend of a friend thing. no way.

Corkfeen

It could simply be an accident on their part. Like when you choose to find friends through your email.

zzap64

Never add a recruitment agent to your Facebook or LinkedIn account. They'll just use it for more contacts and to hound you.

If it was an employer trying to add you as a friend (on Facebook anyway), I'd just say, I like to keep my personal life and work separate. That response would make you sound quite professional in my opinion. e.g. like saying, I won't be making loads of personal calls while I'm at work etc.

gandalf

In Linkedin you can choose to keep your contacts private which is what I do.

InReality

def not. even if it was a real employer I would send them to LinkedIn instead. They really should not be going for your personal info .

greenie

Victor wrote: »

And stay off facebook for the next while. They you can honestly answer "Oh, I haven't checked it recently".

It does show that they've stalked you.

+1..they don't know how often you log in so pretend it's not there!
I've been hearing a lot of stories like this recently....lots of employers checking on potential employees' walls to see what kind of people they are...do they go out a lot...use of bad language etc.

Skud

this has been happening for awhile, keep your profiles private, dont join any incriminating groups that show publicly on your profile, dont use drunk photos etc as your profile picture.

I keep my fb locked and my twitter public for these reasons. I try to watch what I say on twitter always.