Aren’t we all guilty of stalking people on social media? What compels us to learn about people through social media? Mostly we do it to feel more connected to people by learning about their interests and gauging their opinions. This is exactly why many leaders in the corporate world advocate for social media background checks before hiring deeming it to be a powerful tool. Whether it be visas, loans, real-estate, or financial institutions, social media background checks have proved to be crucial.  These checks, when with responsibility, can help organizations make smarter hiring decisions by offering a deeper understanding of candidates beyond their resumes.

Index The Growing Relevance of Social Media in Hiring Understanding the Insights Social Media Offers Legal and Ethical Considerations in Social Media Checks In-house social media checks – a grey area for employers Why It Matters to Employers Today

The Growing Relevance of Social Media in Hiring 

Almost every candidate applying for a job has a sizeable social media presence. Social media has become the proverbial elephant in the room. Spanning from well-known platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok, to more niche services like gaming sites, these accounts provide a wealth of information about an applicant’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. They’re now a digital extension of who we are, offering a window into our values, communications, and preferences.  

Here’s a surprising fact: over 70% of employers now admit to using social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. The recruiting process has evolved from using spotless resumes and glowing third party references. Organizations now want a complete package in the form of an employee, someone who is not only academically credible but also has an ethos that aligns with the company’s work culture. 

This is where social media background checks play a crucial role. It gives a real-time snapshot of a candidate's personality and professional demeanor, empowering recruiters to hire the best fit. 

Understanding the Insights Social Media Offers 

“Aren’t resumes the best possible way to know a potential candidate?” The answer to the question is not linear, however, it is safe to say that resumes and interviews tend to provide crafted information about any candidate. Social media is a more genuine and informal glimpse into a person’s character than their polished résumé or a rehearsed interview answer. For instance, a candidate’s posts about their favorite causes or their collaborative efforts in online projects can reveal their passions and potential cultural fit far better than any reference ever could.

Social media can also uncover, what I call, the “hidden landmines” of hiring. Patterns of inflammatory comments, passive-aggressive rants, or questionable behavior have a way of surfacing here—details that traditional checks might miss entirely. Such insights can save a company from bringing on someone who doesn’t align with its values.

On the flip side, social media can also shine a light on qualities that make candidates stand out. A candidate who actively shares thoughtful insights on industry trends or highlights their volunteer work paints a picture of someone who not only contributes but also cares. These are the qualities that can take an organization’s culture from good to exceptional. 

Legal and Ethical Considerations in Social Media Checks 

With the sea of information social media grants access to, it is critical to approach it with both eyes wide open. That means concentrating on the candidates’ profile and the legal landscape. In my experience one must recognize the power of due diligence when it comes to hiring people on board. Employers have the responsibility to respect privacy laws and ensure their process doesn’t open the door to discriminatory practices. The last thing any company needs is a compliance misstep that lands them in legal hot water.

That said, the line between public and private content can get murky. If employers access private information without the applicant’s consent, they could be accused of invading the candidate’s privacy, which can lead to legal complications. 

While social media can provide valuable insights, it’s important to remember that not all information is relevant to a candidate’s qualifications for the role. Posts about personal interests, political views, or private matters, though publicly shared, may not accurately reflect a person’s professional abilities. Employers must be cautious not to let these aspects overshadow the core competencies required for the job. Striking the right balance ensures that personal boundaries are respected while maintaining a fair and objective hiring process.

In-house social media checks – a grey area for employers 

Carrying out social media checks has become increasingly easy, many companies aren’t even using a professional expert service. As all the information is readily available for free, the temptation to look it up on your own is great, right? 

Unfortunately, this DIY approach comes with a number of risks and missing benefits for employers. Over the years I have seen employers ‘googling’ applicants, which has resulted in nothing more than complications and vague information. Additionally, the way the DIY results are interpreted is likely to be subjective, based on the recruiter's perceptions and beliefs. 

Professional social media checks are much more sophisticated than in-house checks, using smart search technologies and behavior analysis tools, they’re designed to remain compliant with legislation and HR guidelines.

What’s different is the involvement of a third-party background check provider is that they carry out these checks in a professional manner, hence, the results given are objective, compliant, and consistent. This means that the results of the check can be openly discussed with the candidate, making them a part of the hiring process from the word go. At Check Xperts in Pakistan, our professional social media checks are designed and built to protect a candidate’s privacy, trust and they are always done with the explicit consent of the subject.

Why It Matters to Employers Today 

The bottom line for any organization is to find more socially astute, responsible candidates who carry the integrity of their personal lives into their professional lives. The number of years I have spent working in this field has made me comprehend the very delicate formula of building a team whose culture and ethics aligns with that of the organization. Conducting professional social media background checks empowers leaders to recruit people based on their values, opinions and beliefs, and not only what is presented on the resume. This holistic approach helps build better teams, which eventually leads to a stronger organization.