Radio talk-show hostess Kim Komando
once revealed that, as part of an employee background check, she
researched the personal websites and blogs of her prospective
employees. What she discovered was that people will not only
say the darndest things, they are now willing to publish them on
the internet.
These job seekers boasted about illegally
downloading music, pirating software, committing vandalism
and doing other antics that are commonly classified as "criminal
activity."
This discovery began a dialogue with
her audience, during which she asked, "Should a person's
blog be considered when assessing their employment credentials?"
What is shocking is that 40% of the respondents to her internet
poll answered this question, "No." Respondents justified
their answer with rationale ranging from "I have a right to
privacy" to "the blog entries relate to their personal
life." How stupid can these people be?
One of the reasons any employer &
whether the CEO of a company or a homeowner seeking a reliable dog-sitter
& performs background and reference checks is that a
person's behavior tends to be consistent and predictable over
time. Unlike a mutual fund or stock, the past performance of a person
is a reliable predictor of future results. Prior learning, established
habits and values coalesce to determine behavior, and unless a person
gains insight into their motivations and behaviors and exerts their
will to override reflexive behaviors, then their behavioral patterns
won't change. If this were not the case, psychologists, psychiatrists
and life-coaches would be unemployed. In short, this means once
a criminal, always a criminal. If, in the mind of a person, it were
perfectly acceptable to steal music or vandalize property, what
would stop them from stealing money or sensitive information from
an employer? No reasonable person would leave the door open if they
knew a burglar was outside, and no intelligent employer would knowingly
hire someone who has no regard for the law or the property rights
of others.
Another point raised was "the
right to privacy." When someone voluntarily publishes something
on a web page, they have put their information within access of
potentially one billion eyeballs. Where does "privacy"
come in? This would be like someone stripping naked in the middle
of Times Square in New York City during rush hour, and then being
upset because a lot of people stop and stare. The bottom line is,
if something needs to be private, don't share it, period.
Perusing a blog is a little like observing
a person from a distance and when they are less guarded in their
actions. This can provide more information to a prospective employer
than would those overly-rehearsed, cut and dried answers given by
eager job applicants. Imagine reading a profanity-laced, irrational
blog authored by someone seeking a customer service or sales position.
Would anyone want to turn a potty-mouthed lunatic loose as the spokesperson
for his or her company? Not likely! Similarly, reading a well-written,
cogent blog may change an employer's opinion of the individual
who is brilliant in writing, but lacks interviewing skills. Blogs
reflect attitudes, values, reasoning skills, intellect and personality;
the same anonymity that makes blogging an attractive way to vent
also makes it a true window to the writer's soul.
The blogger who is also a job seeker
should follow two rules: 1) use a penname, and don't
mention the blog in a résumé or cover letter. Reference
other, less personal, work samples if these are required for the
job you are seeking, and/or 2) keep the blog civil, coherent and
put your best foot forward. If you wouldn't mention wrecking
your car during a lost and hazy weekend or cheating on your wife
during an interview, don't mention it in a blog. Discretion
has always been the better part of valor.
