Asked for Facebook login in interview

secretambition · 23-03-2012 2:35pm

ScumLord wrote: »

But how is the facebook going to tell them that? When they see him with his arm around friends in drunk pictures are they going to think he's a team player? Are they going to go by maybe some racist joke comment made in the privacy of the potential employees home to his other friends and which was maybe a joke the employer made earlier that day but didn't record it on the internet?

It's a nonsense. If you just so happen to say or do something stupid on facebook it doesn't have any baring on your ability to do a job. If those people can't work well in a group then their training and competence is lacking and that should be obvious from their work and has nothing to do with their stupid facebook pictures.

I agree that asking for facebook login is going too far as I've said.

But I think ability to work well in a team is a standard that's rising all the time. In the past, I think it meant basically just being civil, professional and cooperative. More and more, employers want, rightly or wrongly, to hold onto good employees by creating teams that people really enjoy working in. They try to pick people who actually have similar personalities and will enjoy being in each others company.

Dudess · 23-03-2012 2:38pm

Seeing as viewing someone's Facebook profile (if public) is possible in mere seconds with a tiny bit of typing and a few mouse clicks, I wouldn't blame recruiters looking it up. It leaves a bad taste and is quite sneaky, but there is nothing to stop them. I hate the idea that someone's Facebook content would prevent them getting a job when they're otherwise perfect for it - and it's not like the recruiter can be transparent and say "We looked at your Facebook and decided you're unsuitable" if asked for feedback. Plus, no matter how crazy the photos or whatever are, as someone said, work and personal life should be separate from each other. However, it is possible to lock your Facebook profile down to the point that people can't find it at all, so just do that. And even then, don't post stupid stuff (statuses/pictures) relating to work or any dubious activities!

A recruiter asking for log-in details though? Surely wrong on several levels and warranting of a disciplining for the recruiter.

Less of the self righteousness please and a little more cop on.

Er... you're a mod since when?

prinz · 23-03-2012 2:40pm

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

What if they ask for your boards.ie username?.....

....Biggins.....<.< >.>

23-03-2012 2:46pm

Dudess wrote: »

Seeing as viewing someone's Facebook profile (if public) is possible in mere seconds with a tiny bit of a typing and a few mouse clicks, I wouldn't blame recruiters looking it up. It leaves a bad taste and is quite sneaky, but there is nothing to stop them. However it is possible to lock your profile down to the point that people can't find it at all, so just do that. And even then, don't post stupid stuff (statuses/pictures) relating to work or any dubious activities!

Kind of missed the point of the thread. If it is locked down, they ask for your password so they can see everything. You'd have to lie and claim you didn't have a Facebook profile, and lying in an interview isn't a great approach. Also, it's possible to have your profile set up so it can be found, but you have to be friends to see anything on it. What do you do in that situation? EDIT: you edited your post, never mind

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with recruiters checking stuff that's publically available. If you're stupid enough to post your drunken photos for anyone in the world to see, you have to accept the consequences. And it would be bad for the company's reputation in that case

prinz · 23-03-2012 2:50pm

28064212 wrote: »

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with recruiters checking stuff that's publically available. If you're stupid enough to post your drunken photos for anyone in the world to see, you have to accept the consequences. And it would be bad for the company's reputation in that case

+1. Have to agree with this.

Dudess · 23-03-2012 2:52pm

It's kinda double standards though when there's no problem with staff getting rat-arsed at the office party. :pac:

kylith · 23-03-2012 2:52pm

28064212 wrote: »

Kind of missed the point of the thread. If it is locked down, they ask for your password so they can see everything. You'd have to lie and claim you didn't have a Facebook profile, and lying in an interview isn't a great approach. Also, it's possible to have your profile set up so it can be found, but you have to be friends to see anything on it. What do you do in that situation? EDIT: you edited your post, never mind

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with recruiters checking stuff that's publically available. If you're stupid enough to post your drunken photos for anyone in the world to see, you have to accept the consequences. And it would be bad for the company's reputation in that case

I really don't see how. I can't really see there being headlines along the line's of: Company X's Admin Has One Too Many To Drink; Looks Dodgy In Photo.

secretambition · 23-03-2012 2:54pm

28064212 wrote: »

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with recruiters checking stuff that's publically available. If you're stupid enough to post your drunken photos for anyone in the world to see, you have to accept the consequences. And it would be bad for the company's reputation in that case

I agree with this bit. People need to realise the seriousness of writing stuff down. I once heard of a guy who worked in PR being fired for making a joke about a particular religion in one of his publicity mailshots. It was a fairly popular religion in the country concerned - probably 20% of the mailing list on a law of averages basis.

secretambition · 23-03-2012 2:55pm

kylith wrote: »

I really don't see how. I can't really see there being headlines along the line's of: Company X's Admin Has One Too Many To Drink; Looks Dodgy In Photo.

It depends what you do. Primary school teacher poll-dancing on a night out? Saw that in the paper recently. Parents would have fun expaining that to kids.

23-03-2012 2:56pm

Dudess wrote: »

It's kinda double standards though when there's no problem with staff getting rat-arsed at the office party. :pac:

Difference being there's no published photos available for anyone in the world to look up at any time in the future. It's nothing to do with the fact that it happened, only that there's a published record

kylith wrote: »

I really don't see how. I can't really see there being headlines along the line's of: Company X's Admin Has One Too Many To Drink; Looks Dodgy In Photo.

Nothing to do with headlines. Say you're interacting with a client, and the client decides to look you up and sees you with your arse out in the middle of Copperface Jacks? Not exactly going to help your company's reputation

booboo88 · 23-03-2012 2:58pm

Katgurl wrote: »

Are people here for real? "if he had nothing to hide etc" that is an insane request, I have worked in HR for years. He should sue the hole off them.

I know, They have no right to invade in your personal life,

you cant bring your personal life into work so why should they have that info?

LuckyLloyd · 23-03-2012 2:59pm

Obviously the request is entirely unreasonable. However in this day and age you should feel comfortable standing side by side with what you post online or the range of information available about you online.

Does your CV and / or demeanour in a job interview tally with what someone would find if they googled you, or if they could link your name to a screename on a forum, etc? If it doesn't, then you probably have some thinking and work to do either tieing them together, or burying one from view.

kylith · 23-03-2012 3:00pm

secretambition wrote: »

It depends what you do. Primary school teacher poll-dancing on a night out? Saw that in the paper recently. Parents would have fun expaining that to kids.

Plenty of people pole dance, it's a very popular exercise these days. As long as it doesn't affect their ability to teach their students then I see no problem with it.

28064212 wrote: »

Nothing to do with headlines. Say you're interacting with a client, and the client decides to look you up and sees you with your arse out in the middle of Copperface Jacks? Not exactly going to help your company's reputation

Point taken, but again; it has nothing to do with their ability to do their job. Maybe they did have their arse out, but if (for the sake of argument) they're one of the top, say, lawyers in the country and winning cases right, left and center what does it matter what they do between 5pm and 9am?

Carter P Fly · 23-03-2012 3:03pm

The correct response would be To ask the interviewer to show you her t its/slap out his lad. It would be an equally inappropriate question.

prinz · 23-03-2012 3:03pm

kylith wrote: »

Point taken, but again; it has nothing to do with their ability to do their job. Maybe they did have their arse out, but if (for the sake of argument) they're one of the top, say, lawyers in the country and winning cases right, left and center what does it matter what they do between 5pm and 9am?

Yes... it affects how customers, clients etc will view you and no matter how good you are could affect future business. I don't care how good my local barber is at cutting hair but if I came across pictures of him dressed up in his Grand Wizard of the North County Dublin branch of the KKK I'd take my business elsewhere.

secretambition · 23-03-2012 3:04pm

kylith wrote: »

Plenty of people pole dance, it's a very popular exercise these days. As long as it doesn't affect their ability to teach their students then I see no problem with it.

I would guess someone doing it at 2 in the morning with many drinks on board barely able to hold onto the poll (in the article I read) is not doing it for the exercise.

kylith · 23-03-2012 3:05pm

prinz wrote: »

Yes... it affects how customers, clients etc will view you and no matter how good you are could affect future business. I don't care how good my local barber is at cutting hair but if I came across pictures of him dressed up in his Grand Wizard of the North County Dublin branch of the KKK I'd take my business elsewhere.

The KKK is one thing. Would you take your business elsewhere if you discovered that he's a transvestite, or plays D&D, or that he occasionally gets drunk and has a laugh, or that he smokes? You can bet your bottom dollar that there are companies who would refuse to hire someone because they were seen with a cigarette in a picture on Facebook.

prinz · 23-03-2012 3:07pm

kylith wrote: »

The KKK is one thing. Would you think him take your business elsewhere if you discovered that he's a transvestite, or plays D&D, or that he occasionally gets drunk and has a laugh?

Exactly so private life isn't necessarily strictly private and can impact your professional life and professional relationships. So people can make up their own minds about what they find appropriate or inappropriate, for you maybe it's a KKK thing, for others maybe it's pole dancing while plastered.

booboo88 · 23-03-2012 3:09pm

prinz wrote: »

Yes... it affects how customers, clients etc will view you and no matter how good you are could affect future business. I don't care how good my local barber is at cutting hair but if I came across pictures of him dressed up in his Grand Wizard of the North County Dublin branch of the KKK I'd take my business elsewhere.

They could very well be, doesn't mean they'll have that up on facebook.

Personally I'd be more worried if they had a criminal conviction, than a facebook page.:rolleyes:

And the guy has his profile set to private for a reason to "potential clients" wouldnt be able to view same anyway.

I wonder what the interviewer answer would be if she was asked same question.

Samich · 23-03-2012 3:10pm

Does eeeeeeverything have to be a thread? Like obviously there's gonna be a case like this, the world is a big place.

23-03-2012 3:12pm

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

However in this day and age you should feel comfortable standing side by side with what you post online or the range of information available about you online.

Two different statements there. When I post stuff to Facebook, it's to a select range of people that I have given explicit permission to view. It is not available to the general public, it does not show up in a Google search.

It's the difference between writing something for a newspaper versus writing a letter to a friend.

kylith wrote: »

Point taken, but again; it has nothing to do with their ability to do their job. Maybe they did have their arse out, but if (for the sake of argument) they're one of the top, say, lawyers in the country and winning cases right, left and center what does it matter what they do between 5pm and 9am?

Their job is not just winning cases. It's also about presenting a professional front to the business. If you're costing the company clients who don't want to be represented by someone who gets their arse out, you're not doing your job right. Winning 100% of 10 cases is no good if a "more professional" employee will win 75% of 20 cases. Obviously, it's a balancing act for the employer, but if they have two equally good potential employees, the one who gets their arse out isn't going to get the job

nyarlothothep · 23-03-2012 3:18pm

bah, typical behaviour of the "if you put a peasant on a horse they'll spit on you" variety vis a vis experiments of the stanford or milgram variety. Employers are just ordinary people who enjoy a modicrum of power and some abuse it as in this case here or look up people's fb pages, which they shouldn't as its none of their business. But they do it anyway without reflecting on the ethical dimension to their actions. Its not surprising, give a human just a little bit of power and they think they're master of the universe. So essentially people should just keep their fb pages private or not have them at all. And if asked for a login they can either lie and say they don't have an fb page which is perfectly acceptable, contrary to the notion that lieing in an interview is always bad, this is universalist reasoning, or they can just tell them no, which they're perfectly entitled to do. This whole fb profile fixation ties in with the cult of personality trend which has taken hold of society, ie are you extroverted, assertive, a team player, obedient etc. All qualities which are part of an invented persona which people must conform to under the threat of economic disenfranchisement and given that the economic situation is so bad and this lends people who are in the musical chairs a small bit of power which invariably intoxicates their minds, it results in this cult is becoming increasingly dogmatic, universalising and aggressive.

breadandjam · 23-03-2012 3:19pm

kylith wrote: »

You can bet your bottom dollar that there are companies who would refuse to hire someone because they were seen with a cigarette in a picture on Facebook.

Because they'd expect them to take a couple of smokebreaks while they should be working.

I was advised one time to put down that I was a non smoker in my CV

23-03-2012 3:24pm

Samich wrote: »

Does eeeeeeverything have to be a thread? Like obviously there's gonna be a case like this, the world is a big place.

Threads started by Samich in After Hours:

Things that make you feel manly
What's the bord na mona ad about?
Anyone looking forward to anything?
Sometimes I pee harder into the toilet to show my dominance

No, everything definitely doesn't need a thread

snickerpuss · 23-03-2012 3:35pm

Since my Facebook is totally private, only friends can see any info/photos, for me this would be no different than an interviewer asking for my email password or to read all the texts on my phone or to tap my phone. They are all forms of private communication with my friends. I wouldn't want to work for a company who felt this was appropriate in the first place. Bizarre.

Fluorescence · 23-03-2012 3:46pm

I wouldn't mind giving them the url to my page, and making it public for a few minutes for them to have a look-see if they really needed to. Asking for access to my actual account? No way. Absolutely not. Would they like access to my email accounts and bank accounts too? While they're at it, would they like a list of my personal expenditure from the last year and a look through my mobile phone - after all, I've nothing to hide, right?

If an employer thinks asking any of the above is necessary (or even reasonable) then I don't want to work for them. Simple as.

Nothingbetter2d · 23-03-2012 4:36pm

looks like we all need a second "for work" facebook account with minimal info and a very very select group of family & friends

leave a few photos of yourself standing at a wedding or in some scenic view

when asked by an employer can they view your facebook page you can say yes but ya rarely go on use facebook except to keep in contact with friends abroad.

keep your real facebook page set to private mode.

ScumLord · 23-03-2012 4:52pm

prinz wrote: »

So people can make up their own minds about what they find appropriate or inappropriate, for you maybe it's a KKK thing, for others maybe it's pole dancing while plastered.

I don't think the management have the right to impose their moral compass on the population, especially when it has no baring on the employees work. Fair enough if they keep coming in drunk, fire them. But if their drunk on Sunday, in on time and sober on Monday there can be no complaints.

I doubt the top brass have to go through the same ordeals and we have plenty of examples of them having a poor or non-existent moral compass. It's a ruling class imposing their will and enforcing their elevated position, monkey behaviour. I think the main reason they want access is to have something over an employee down the road so they can dismiss with impunity.

St.Spodo · 23-03-2012 4:56pm

I'd be okay with putting my profile on public, employers can do their research in that way. Looking for access to the account is only to perv on private conversations, and on friends. This is frankly none of their fúcking business, the same way they looking around someone's house is none of their business.

prinz · 23-03-2012 4:57pm

ScumLord wrote: »

I don't think the management have the right to impose their moral compass on the population, especially when it has no baring on the employees work. Fair enough if they keep coming in drunk, fire them. But if their drunk on Sunday, in on time and sober on Monday there can be no complaints..

So if their employees head off to a far right rally and spend the weekend marching about town giving a fascist salute and chanting charming slogans etc, management have no right to hold that against someone? .... they can't complain and say 'hey, that won't sit well with our customers, cop on'?

Asked for Facebook login in interview

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