What Social Media Can (Really) Tell You About Job Applicants
It's no secret that employers research job candidates' social media profiles to help them make hiring decisions. Most employers, however, may have been inaccurately evaluating applicants' online personas all along: New research has found that employers who quickly dismiss applicants based on unpleasant status updates and incriminating photos from a trip to Vegas may actually be missing out on great talent. The study, " Big Five Personality Traits Reflected in Job Applicants' Social Media Postings ," identified links between job applicants' online behaviors and characteristics that might impact their work performance. Unfiltered personal communications and photos, comments about others, and references to alcohol and drug use are the key indicators of personality traits that job applicants truly possess — traits that may actually suggest a candidate will be a great hire, according to the study, which was conducted by researchers in North Carolina Sta...