Should Companies google Applicants or seek Facebook Profiles in the Hiring Process - Research Paper Example

Kennedy and Macko (2007) also argued that the information available on the site is personal in nature and should not be investigated by employers for conducting the hiring process. However, the information that is present on social networking sites is posted by the user with his full consent. It is a commonly accepted fact that there are privacy concerns on the internet and social networking sites. The candidates whose information is searched by the employers are also aware of such privacy concerns and would refrain from posting personal details and information if they feared its viewing to the general public.

Jones, Schuckman and Watson (2007) included an interesting, yet alarming figure regarding the degree of fraudulent and violent instances in organizations on an annual basis; US retail businesses tend to suffer more than $50 billion approximately in a single year due to fraudulent activities, violence in the workplace and organizational assets theft. Such increasing rate of losses and fraudulent activities provoke the organizations to perform due diligence regarding the applicants to ensure that their resources, training and development ventures are not wasted on individuals who might not be trustworthy or loyal human beings.

When an organization employs an individual, a relation of mutual trust is developed between the concerned parties. As a result, many organizational secrets and assets might be managed by the employees. It is vital for employers to confirm that the information provided by the applicants is accurate and personal conducts of the employee will not hurt the stature of the company. DeKay and DeKay (2008) included relevant figures regarding the degree of lies that are often witnessed in applications and resumes.

They revealed that around 70% of college graduates lie about their qualifications when they apply for jobs. This is an appalling figure that needs to be reduced with the help of effective measures. Fishman and Morris (2010) stated that such inaccurate information can be confirmed by means of