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Will Your Online Activity Be the Topic of Your Next HR Review Sheet?

worldwide search When the news about the new vetting application form for a job in the Obama administration broke this past week, it raised a lot of uncomfortable questions about what is an individuals' private business. The 63 page questionnaire is regarded as one of the most comprehensive application forms ever requested by an administration.

Some of the issues which have raised some ire in various quarters refer to questions about online activity including on-line aliases, e-mail communications and blogs. The Washington Post reporting on the story indicates that every administration adds items to the job application to reflect changes in society, but also notes that this questionnaire seems to be the most intrusive.

Reading the story reminded me of a blog post I wrote last year entitled "What Happens When Google Shows Up For the Interview Before You Do?" The post discussed the reality of how our online reputations are being researched by potential employers and clients when making hiring decisions.

Here's an excerpt: (first published in May of 2007)

"We Googled You." This was the response to my question to out of state clients who unnerved me by how much they seemed to know about me prior to our first meeting with them six years ago. We were riding together to see homes in a mini-van. At the time, I didn't even know what Google was. But my prospective clients had already scoped me out.

"We Googled You" is also the title of a recent case study, by Diane Coutu, published in the Harvard Business Review about a"fictional character" Mimi Brewsterwho is being interviewed for a job with a major corporation in China. As an exceptionally qualified candidate, Ms. Brewster finds that her Curriculum Vitae on the Google Search engine proves to be more persuasive than her paper version!

The case study enfolds to ask readers to submit their thoughts about how to handle the company's discovery, through a Google Search inquiry, that newspaper reports had reported that Ms. Brewster has been involved in some activities that might be considered "subversive" in intention by the Chinese government & could potentially hinder the company's ability to expand its operations overseas.

The article highlights the fact that privacy on-line is becoming an increasingly hot issue. Employers, concerned about minimizing risk in hiring decisions are going on-line to investigate potential employees. This is occurring in tandem with burgeoning Internet usage. (click to continue reading)

This trend towards transparency is definitely on the increase in our society. The reality is that there are real challenges domestically and internationally which require greater disclosure. But does this new direction make you a tad uncomfortable? It seems to me that we may be moving towards a day when no one will be fit to serve or...perhaps we'll finally realize that all of us are imperfect. That's one essential component of simply being human...

The "Oldies But Goodies" Series re-examines thought provoking topics that have been shared on the All About Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog over the past two years. Some of the posts were Featured Posts on the Active Rain Network, and some are not. When appropriate, additional commentary will be added to provide relevance and insight

Lola Audu, CRS, GRI e-Pro ~ Audu Real Estate

Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.

Posted by Lola Audu~Real Estate Broker/Owner Grand Rapids, Michigan Real Estate on 11/16/2008 03:33 PM

Comments (61)

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61 Comments on Will Your Online Activity Be the Topic of Your Next HR Review Sheet?

NOV

2008

I think it is just about time for an administration to want to know about someones life other then what is on the nicely crafted resume they submit . If you want to work for this administrations team we want to know what you think and how you see the world so be prepared to answer. We need the right people in charge of this transition team. Really !!!

Lola- You bring up an important point. We should all believe everyone is watching. The only thing that is private these days is what goes on between your own 4 walls ---and that is only without a web-cam running. We need to always behave like everyone is watching!!!! Great post

If you put in on the net, some one will use it to assess you.

NOV

2008

Lola,

Thanks for the post. Actually, I am surprised at the response to the application. Far too many people are willing to reveal the most intimate of information. All one has to do is visit YouTube, Facebook and the like and there you have it, more than you care to know.

Given the state of affairs relative to national security and the disclosures the president elect had to make, anyone seeking an office on the national level should be willing to submit to the scrutiny.

I've warned several of my younger relatives about posting all for the world to see on Facebook and Myspace. Many many employers are researching applicants and that can not bode well for those young people who have party times in detail on their personal sites.

Lola - Sad to say some young people are finding this out the hard way, when they have been denied a job because of their on-line exposure.

It is amazing now how much the consumer knows about us before we actually meet them.

Lola, I heard this on the news and was like oh no. I tell me kids this all the time , be careful what you put on line. So much for privacy huh? Thanks for posting this, Lola.

Lola, I believe we need to watch what we write and have ALSO been one of the mother's that have advised my children about their Facebook and MySpace accounts. I've been told often "I found you on Google" and I want them to find all good things.

Whether or not we like it, this is the direction in which things are heading. A quick search in Google can tell employers a lot about someone these days!

What's funny Lola, is there is less vetting to become president of the United States LOL.

I googled myself and mostly just the Real Estate blogs in AR comes up. I am fine with that , i do not write anything that would bother me. I guess we can all be mini celebs, they have no privacy it seems. I need som big news coverage now hehehe

Best to you and yours

Lola- Funny, the google you, part. We use this for listings, we tell all our prospective sellers, " Just google my name." Bring it on! What you read is what you get, about me:)

Now as for intrusive and privacy- well, that is another subject altogether, I must agree with liberatarians on this issue. Right to privacy is a big thing.

Any employer can google you and can do a backround check on you if they choose to, that is their right to know who is working for them-

but when is it crossing the line of discrimination and becomes selective processing- hmmm, maybe you don't want any Christians or Muslims or Jews working for you. Maybe you don't want single moms working for you or pregnant women. I think this is where the problem is, for what purpose is this being used for and how do we really know that what they it is for is really what it is for?

Lola - We're seeing more and more of this lately. As you stated no one is perfect and just because there might be something about you on the Internet that isn't favorable does not always mean it's true. I would hate to think that an employer would take what they find on Google or anywhere else at face value without giving the individual a chance to respond to its validity.

Lola- Great post. I think this is becoming more and more common in our hi-tech age. Thanks for the reminder to google ourselves!!

What is that saying the Italians have? "Live every moment as if your life was a movie." Big Brother is here and he is all of us.

Perhaps if we always behaved as if everyone is watching, the world would be a better place. On the other hand, some things on line are misleading and even downright false. That's a real shame.

I don't see reviewing online activity as being intrusive. Even though the content may have been created on personal time, once it's on the Internet it becomes very public. A potential employer should be aware of any potential risk this may bring to the worksite.

It's like every listing presentation or buyer interview is an HR thing with us. And we Google them, too!

I really can't imagine why people post certain things on the internet.....it's not like one can easily get rid of it if they decide they want to. You have to be so careful!

A lot of the social media sites have Twitter blips where people can see only a snippet of the conversation and it certainly is out of the context of the whole conversation. I've seen some unbelievable things said ... one Realtor mentioned that she had just finished clipping an ingrown toenail! GOOD GRIEF! I don't Twitter and nothing that I have seen written by people, has enticed me to do so. I choose to not reveal that I just got up and made coffee and am now ready to shower ...... blah, blah, blah. I just don't care to have a potential client know what I do every moment of the day.

I have screened tenants for rental property by googling them. Sometimes you find that someone has a completely different profession (term used loosely) than someone claims they have. You can find out a lot about a person by googling them.

Lola, great article.

I purposefully scaled back my Bio on my website because my friends and family thought it was too personal. My broker's initial suggestion was for me to personalize my bio so that people could have some insight about me. However, once my family and friends read it, they thought that I gave out too much personal information. I liked it, because it was a conversation based bio, and it just gave my career highlights and basic info. about my personal life.

But you're right, all people have to do is google you. I had a collection agency contact my sister-in-law, of all people, under the guise of trying to get in touch with me. I still don't know how he linked her to me, since her last name is different from mine, but he did. There are all types of websites out there, that we as Realtors use, such as pipl.com, that will tell us about a person and their nearest relatives. Too Scary.

So it is a sign of the times. I have googled people that I've been looking for and have had a pretty good success rate at finding them. For the ones that I can't find, I wish they would give me their secret as to how they managed to make that happen....I guess they are definitely not in real estate.

MeLisa Minter, Realtor

www.homesmint2be.com

Hi Lola, Congratulations on the Feature. Well done. I have thought of this so many times and what see as transparency on the internet , others may see as invasion of privacy. Did I say privacy and internet in the sentence? LOL.

I have googled prospective tenants and in one case found they were a defendant in a murder case. It can be very revealing and almost instant.

I wonder if Obama could qualify on his own application?

Don't write or post anything for the www you wouldn't want to see on the front page of your hometown newspaper.

It is a bit troubling how invasive the questionnaire seems to be -- it is important that the questions pertain to the job being sought -- It doesn't seem that their should be a one size fits all questionnaire. Lots of interestingquestions. You also bring up some good points about being careful about what we say in cyberspace -- all you need to do is google.

This is the world we live in today - be smart about what you say, do, and write.

I can only imagine how much diry is dug up when someone decides to run for office.

If you don't want the world to know about something - don't put it online. :)

Many of the commenters have mentioned cautioning young people about what they write on Facebook and MySpace. What astonishes me is some of the things I've seen AR members write. I wonder, if it's really the impression they want to put out there for perspective clients and referral agents

Lola - once again you have challenged folks to consider relevant issues today and to question them.

It is far to easy for people to share it all on-line and to forget that this is all fair game and there are no laws (as far as I know) to protect them adn the information they have shared. Is it intrusive? Not really. You shared the information so why should you assume it is private?

Perhaps the downfall is that sites do not make it more apparent that all information shared on-line is in the public domain. But in this day and age I would think most folks would realize this. Quite frankly, if someone is going to be working in the administration then I have no issues with this level of questioning. If they have something to hide then perhaps they need to seek employment elsewhere. The government clearly has no issues with collecting information on consumers, surveillance, and more that I susect we know nothing about. Anyone who wants to play in this space should have no compunction about being similarly scrutinized.

Jeff

The world just becomes smaller and smaller and Big Brother bigger and bigger. Yet we all add to it as we continue to blog, spend time on the social media sites, etc.

This has been said, but anything I am talking about online is ok to be reviewed. This is not that big of a deal to me, everything I write is ok to be viewed.

Lola, credit checks were first, now it is your my space, facebook, etc. All should watch what they post, because in the long run you can be passed by an employer for a person whom is more discreet about their postings.

Funny, freedom comes with a price.

"It seems to me that we may be moving towards a day when no one will be fit to serve or...perhaps we'll finally realize that all of us are imperfect."

Good post, Lola. Something to think about. I do not have a knee-jerk opinion about it. Many of us decide one thing only to change sides when the shoe is on the other foot.

Have a great Thanksgiving. I think we all deserve this one coming up.

NOV

2008

I remind my kids of this all the time - I guess I need to remind myself as well. Thanks for sharing!

It would appear that the Obama application for employment is vetting a tad more thoroughly than previous administrations. Questions that arise are

1. Are they seeking to hire folks with a similar political bent?

2. Are they seeking to avoid embarrassing disclosures of administration employees??

Either way, fine with me. An administration has the absolute right to hire sympathetic staffers. Further, if previous administrations had done something similar, they could have avoided embarrassing incidents when things in a staffers background made their way to the press.

Fact is, IMO, most of the problems with past employees were either suspected or known by the persons responsible for hiring.

Every administration hires folks with skeletons in their closets, known and unknown, because they are all anxious to hire friends, relatives and cronies.

It goes to show, you never know who's reading your blog (or FaceBook page) - so be nice, say what you mean and mean what you say.

MeLisa wondered how a credit agency connected her with a sister-in-law. A couple years ago I found PrivateEye.com. Even without paying their fee, you can find out people's connections to others. I sumitted my name - and variations of my name - and they connected me to my ex, my former inlaws, my daughter's inlaws, and to my ex's wife's family. BTW, my ex and I have been apart for 30 yrs - way before the Internet! They show everybody's current address and all past addresses and ages. I determined that some of those connections were coming from courthouse records and mailing addresses.

Who knows what else one could learn by paying the fee!

Very interesting post and the Internet is changing our lives for the good or bad and we need to be aware and then deal with it. The PrivateEye.com comment from Elaine is amazing to me, but I'm sure it is the courthouse records. Now do we need to also worry about relatives who have died and medical conditions of their death and the scary thought of being passed over due to those records? I'm jumping here a bit but that thought is not pleasant.

Big Brother is definitely watching. Never blog anything that you wouldn't want on the front page of the newspaper.

Interesting post, Lola. I've always been an advocate of transparency. I'm on the boat with "If you aren't doing anything wrong, what's the harm?" I know there are holes in that belief...

Good post!

I have a lot of response to my spots on Google and often find it hard not to laugh when someone asks are those your dogs? And I think "wow how did you know I have dogs?"

It's like wearing a name tag and forgetting it's there then having someone say "Hi Sandy"

Lola... well, I started reading your blog yesterday, but it was in the middle of my football game. And I finally got back to it.

In any case, you bring up some good points. I didn't read the comments... but I will say that this doesn't bother me as much as it once did. Meaning, when the gov't knew about you or had information on you. Because a lot of it can be found online now.

Now, the pet peeve of mine that I don't care for is that of private information about yourself, that the gov't could still tap into, even if it was illegal. But how do we know, right? And the phrase, "big brother is watching you", does scare me at times. But then again, if I don't do anything wrong, no harm?... even if wrong? Could it be a catch 22?

Overall, I love to use Google and to tell people to search me. And if they did this prior to me mentioning it to them, then even better. They did their homework and I am happy to work with them. I don't want it to become sales, but just a good fit, a good relationship, that they trust me. Interesting post...

jeff belonger

I want people to google me to see the web presence. I think it builds credibility to have a strong web presence.

I guess it's the wave of the future and we are riding that wave. I tell my prospective clients to "Google Me". I can only hope everything is positive on there.

Lola - I've also had clients tell me that they googled me, its sometimes shocking to hear them quote a blog post word for word... I think that we all need to think about the content that we are putting out there.

Lola- not only is your online presence scrutinized by HR Depts. and clients, but we were at a college open house and they were explaining to the kids that the admissions people look at their myspace & facebook accounts.

Thank you for all your comments. This post has generated a lot of discussion and insights. I was offline on Sunday, so I look forward to responding tonight and sharing some of my responses to your thoughts this evening.

Elana, "We need the right people in charge of this transition team. Really !!!" While I agree with your conclusion about the right people, I'm not entirely persuaded that this type of questionnaire necessarily brings that result. I'm of course hopeful...

Tami, "The only thing that is private these days is what goes on between your own 4 walls ---"...That may be a debatable fact Tami. When you think of the fact that telephone and Internet communications can be monitored quite easily, even the 4 walls are no longer off limits.

Heath, 'If you put in on the net, some one will use it to assess you'...you're probably right!

William, "Actually, I am surprised at the response to the application...Given the state of affairs relative to national security and the disclosures the president elect had to make, anyone seeking an office on the national level should be willing to submit to the scrutiny." I would agree that we are living in a time in which we have to be far more cautious, but I'm wondering if the nature of online interaction and associations ultimately proves that much...maybe it does. Sometimes I marvel at what professionals put online...I think there's a certain naivety which clouds judgment.

Kris.."Many many employers are researching applicants and that can not bode well for those young people who have party times in detail on their personal sites" A lot of people presume that because you make something 'private', it cannot be accessed. Not totally the case online at all...

Jennifer, "It is amazing now how much the consumer knows about us before we actually meet them" Just like we can find out a lot about them too. Infact, if someone has NO presence online, sometimes, that makes you wonder...

Missy, " heard this on the news and was like oh no. I tell me kids this all the time , be careful what you put on line. So much for privacy huh?...Teenagers should listen to their parents! :)

Carole, "I've been told often "I found you on Google" and I want them to find all good things." I'm hearing that people find me online more and more these days. Even referral clients refer people to my blog.

Patricia, "Whether or not we like it, this is the direction in which things are heading"...I think you're right!

Gary, "What's funny Lola, is there is less vetting to become president of the United States LOL" Isn't there something a little odd about that? Maybe, there'd be no one to run for president if we did the vetting like this...just a thought.

Timothy, 'i do not write anything that would bother me. I guess we can all be mini celebs, they have no privacy it seems' Does that mean that our 15 minutes of fame has now shrunk to 15 seconds? LOL. I think your prudence is wise.

Katerina, "but when is it crossing the line of discrimination and becomes selective processing- hmmm, maybe you don't want any Christians or Muslims or Jews working for you. Maybe you don't want single moms working for you or pregnant women. I think this is where the problem is, for what purpose is this being used for and how do we really know that what they it is for is really what it is for?" Precisely! Our laws have not been updated to reflect the changes in the use of technology. There are a number of vulnerabilities here. Thanks for stating this one so eloquently.

Donna, 'As you stated no one is perfect and just because there might be something about you on the Internet that isn't favorable does not always mean it's true' Another important point. Context matters. Truth matters' Who is the Internet policed by? Does the fact that something is repeated make it correct? All very important considerations...

Maria, I'd never heard this Italian saying. Thanks for adding it to the discussion: "Live every moment as if your life was a movie."

Illyce, Thanks for your comment.

Marian, 'Perhaps if we always behaved as if everyone is watching, the world would be a better place.' I personally believe someone is always watching,...God, that is. However, He's an impartial judge. I'm more concerned about the judgements of fallible human beings. I think the goal of maturing in life is doing the right thing simply because it's right...

Hi John, Thanks for weighing in with these thoughts, "I don't see reviewing online activity as being intrusive. Even though the content may have been created on personal time, once it's on the Internet it becomes very public.' Question though...with this reasoning, would it be OK for an employer to have you followed to determine what you do with your private time even when your activities are in a public area? Just wondering...

Patricia...it has become a two-way street hasn't it?

Diane B..."I really can't imagine why people post certain things on the internet.....it's not like one can easily get rid of it if they decide they want to. You have to be so careful!' That's one of the problems, I don't think many folks realize just how permanent the nature of online traffic truly is.

Elaine, this comment about CONTEXT is really important. Often times syndication is creating NEW CONTEXTS by virtue of it's placement in ways which may not be readily apparant. Thanks for adding this insight on this post.

"A lot of the social media sites have Twitter blips where people can see only a snippet of the conversation and it certainly is out of the context of the whole conversation. I've seen some unbelievable things said ... one Realtor mentioned that she had just finished clipping an ingrown toenail! GOOD GRIEF! I don't Twitter and nothing that I have seen written by people, has enticed me to do so. I choose to not reveal that I just got up and made coffee and am now ready to shower ...... blah, blah, blah. I just don't care to have a potential client know what I do every moment of the day

Jen & Terry W..."I have screened tenants for rental property by googling them' More and more landlords are finding the Internet to be a helpful screening tool.

MeLisa, "I had a collection agency contact my sister-in-law, of all people, under the guise of trying to get in touch with me"...this shows just how connected we have become. All sorts of information can be strung together to come to a conclusion....

William J...'Well done. I have thought of this so many times and what see as transparency on the internet , others may see as invasion of privacy. Did I say privacy and internet in the sentence? LOL." You did! It probably struck you as an oxymoron. :) I appreciate the humor.

Jim L...Good counsel here, "Don't write or post anything for the www you wouldn't want to see on the front page of your hometown newspaper'

Joan, "It is a bit troubling how invasive the questionnaire seems to be -- it is important that the questions pertain to the job being sought -- It doesn't seem that their should be a one size fits all questionnaire'...And to be fair, one cannot determine exactly how the questionnaire will be used. Perhaps, it will not be entirely exclusionary, but merely used on an advisory basis. Perhaps...

Mark, 'If you don't want the world to know about something - don't put it online. :)" Yep! Or beter yet, simply don't do it!

Marilyn, "What astonishes me is some of the things I've seen AR members write. I wonder, if it's really the impression they want to put out there for perspective clients and referral agents" Sometimes, I wonder too. One of the seductions of the online world is that it entices us to let go of inhibitions. That's not entirely without potential peril.

Jeff, 'Perhaps the downfall is that sites do not make it more apparent that all information shared on-line is in the public domain. But in this day and age I would think most folks would realize this.' That's a big part of the problem. I think that a large number of folks online today DON'T really understand. I've learned a tremendous amount of this information through my association with Active Rain. How many of us would have been totally clueless for a long long time without the information shared on a network like this. Think of how many people aren't even aware of the items that lead the evening news. Our society tends to focus on entertainment, not substance...

Christine, That's true.

Jason, Appreciate your comment.

Julie, 'credit checks were first, now it is your my space, facebook, etc. All should watch what they post, because in the long run you can be passed by an employer for a person whom is more discreet about their postings' We are dealing with what may ultimately become a new form of prejudice. If information can be posted which may not be true and may be online forever, is it fair to the individual who is damaged? Our laws have not caught up with these emerging realities.

Ron, 'Funny, freedom comes with a price.' Freedom and Liberty are some of our most precious possessions. I'm not sure we're always aware of that. Thanks for stopping here to read & comment.

Marcia, Thanks for commenting here.

Lenn, 'Fact is, IMO, most of the problems with past employees were either suspected or known by the persons responsible for hiring. Every administration hires folks with skeletons in their closets, known and unknown, because they are all anxious to hire friends, relatives and cronies.' The point you make about the 'intentions' and the reasoning behind the questionnaire are important. And the discussion about disclosure vs privacy cannot be balanced and fair without including that issue into the mix. I do have some concerns with how easily suspicions can become fact through repetition and thus damage an individuals' reputation even before an adequate explanation can be rendered.

Ed...Yes!

Wow, Elaine, that is really interesting! (Private Eye comment)

Karen M...'Now do we need to also worry about relatives who have died and medical conditions of their death and the scary thought of being passed over due to those records?' Uh...maybe. As things stand now, I wonder how the law deals with this, if at all, since death notices are part of the public domain. Very interesting point...

Brenda, Thanks for your comment.

Kris, "I'm on the boat with "If you aren't doing anything wrong, what's the harm?" I know there are holes in that belief... " What do you do with inaccurate or misleading information about you from someone else?

Sandy, very keen observation, 'It's like wearing a name tag and forgetting it's there then having someone say "Hi Sandy"

Jeff, Thanks for sharing your insights. I think that one of the issues is the fact that we don't necessarily have control about what is said. The Internet takes on info from everywhere and that makes the issue more complicated and complex.

Lizette, The future is now! Let's hope we stay on our surfboards and land safely on shore. :)

Debbie, "I've also had clients tell me that they googled me, its sometimes shocking to hear them quote a blog post word for word... " You must be writing good stuff!

Laura, 'not only is your online presence scrutinized by HR Depts. and clients, but we were at a college open house and they were explaining to the kids that the admissions people look at their myspace & facebook accounts' This is interesting!

NOV

2008

Google has always been the virtual two edged sword. Great post and I love the conversational thread. Simply awesome. :-)

I have always said that in the future there will be no such thing as privacy.

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