When entrepreneurs and business owners assess job applicants, their résumés aren’t the only resources to consider. It’s also important to research other sources of information, such as their blogs, online peer reviews and social media posts.
Reviewing elements of their “digital footprint” can provide deeper insights into who applicants are and how they work with others. But how much weight should you give these and other publicly available sources in your overall evaluation of an applicant?
To help you navigate the candidate screening processes of today, members of Forbes Coaches Council explored the rationale behind relying on these extra bits of information to develop a more robust picture of potential employees.
Forbes Coaches Council members discuss reasons why you should research the "digital footprint" of job applicants.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Online Information Can Indicate Overall Company Fit
Entrepreneurs have so many decisions to make, and hiring the right candidates is vital to their success. Researching any information available online is critical to finding out about job candidates and ensuring that they will be a good fit with the mindset and goals of one’s company. - Barbara Adams, CareerPro Global, Inc.
2. Digital Resources Showcase Their Differentiating Factors
Thanks to technology, there is more competition than ever before. Talent no longer competes locally but within a global talent pool instead. Having a strong, compelling and clear online presence is a statement, and it shows commitment to going the extra mile. Building a personal brand is a nonnegotiable these days, as it provides the perfect opportunity for them to showcase their points of difference rather than just talk about them. - Petra Zink, impaCCCt
3. You Can Weed Out Potentially Problematic Candidates
In our current “cancel culture,” researching candidates online is incredibly important. We’ve all seen companies called out online for the misbehavior of their employees. Your employees become an extension of your company, and researching their online presence is the best way to assess and mitigate any potential risk. Do your due diligence to ensure that this employee will best represent your company both in and out of the workplace. - Bri Seeley, The Unapologetic Entrepreneur
4. You Can See If Their Online Presence Reflects Your Values
Recruiting and hiring top talent is a multifaceted process. Consider harnessing the power of technology and social media to review and assess applicants. You can research how talent shows up online. Ask yourself if applicants are showing up in a way that represents your company’s values. - Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES , CaffeinatedKyle.com
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5. Online Sources Can Help Create A 360-Degree View
Having a 360-degree view of an applicant is important. As necessary as one-to-one discussions and reference checks are, the online medium offers insights about thought processes. This gives you a way to assess the congruency between the views applicants state in interviews and those reflected in their digital personal brand. If they differ greatly, it is worth exploring the discrepancy ahead of discarding an application. - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
6. Reviewing Digital Sources Helps If You Acknowledge Biases
Researching other sources of information is fine, but that means we also have to be honest and acknowledge our own biases and how those biases may affect the hiring decision. That also includes the biases of the people who wrote that candidate’s peer reviews. Are we looking at these sources and judging for morals or ethics? - Brooks E. Scott, Merging Path Coaching
7. You Can Review Social Profiles To Evaluate Personality
In my view, reviewing a candidate’s online presence is really important now, as we are very much in the digital age. Even if the applicant is not customer-facing, hiring someone who might post something less than flattering or that could damage your brand is not worth the risk. I always recommend that we check their social profiles for at least a few months to see what their personality traits are. - Andrew Constable, Visualise Solutions
8. You Can See How Their Interests Align With Yours
You’d better do it and not ignore it. A good number of my career and outplacement clients today have their own blogs, participate or have participated in podcasts and are authoring articles on LinkedIn. Other people have interesting outside interests that may benefit their brand and also reflect positively on your business. Maybe it makes them a better candidate, but be wise and look at the entirety of their work. - John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
9. It Helps To View The Candidate As A Whole Person
It is important to understand that the whole person shows up for work. Too often employers hire based on what skill the job entails, failing to recognize the largest predictors of employee success: the leadership skills of taking action, communicating, collaborating, taking risks and making decisions. These skills are typically evident in the workplace and in their personal lives. - Brad Cousins, Ingage Human Capital Strategies
10. Their Digital Presence Speaks To What’s Important To Them
Blogs, articles published on LinkedIn and social media posts are useful tools for evaluating candidates. They provide a broader picture of who candidates are and what is important to them. The interview process alone offers incomplete information. Most hiring processes include one to three interviews, which is certainly not enough time to get to know someone. More information equals less bias and a better decision. - Cheryl Czach, Cheryl Czach Coaching and Consulting, LLC
11. It Can Help Illuminate Parts Of A Candidate’s Narrative
While it’s important to get the entire story on someone by checking on them virtually, it is best to not let your findings dictate the narrative before getting to know them. Every finding should be a part of the whole story, but it is always important to talk with someone. This may include a five-minute phone screening or a 15-minute Zoom call to lay the foundation for getting to know the candidate. - Jon Dwoskin, The Jon Dwoskin Experience
12. You May As Well Do It And Avoid Surprises
Entrepreneurs are usually running startups or early-stage companies where mistakes and errors in judgment are complicated by limited budgets. You may as well look at all sources, as somebody will eventually look, and you’ll get an earful if there are any big surprises. Professionals who post on social media today know that they are telling the world what they think, and you may as well know too. - Steven Pfrenzinger, Coaching for the Ambitious 30-Something Professional
