Ask Prospective Employees About Internet Activity?
 

Had a question/thought/idea out of left field.

If you were evaluating a potential employee, would you require them to list all Internet forums/BBSes/newsgroups in which they participate, and their screen names?

Wouldn't reviewing a person's posts in such discussions give you a view of their personality, thought process, and interpersonal demeanor?

Not sure what I think about the idea, just asking.

Who would answer that honestly?

I sure wouldn't. Too much risk of offending someone for speaking your mind.

Personally I'd never work for someone that asked such an invasive question.

What I do on my time is my business.

Umm... I think that would probably violate something... I doubt that your able to really dig into someones personal life unless it had direct bearing on the job.

...besides, that's what Google is for. :)

...and what stomachmonkey said. I'd probably tell you to go fornicate with yourself. ...anyone that would actually give you that info is so desperate for the job that they'd probably walk the first time someone offered them a 5% better paying job..

I agree I would not want to work for someone that was that intrusive.

I do however, believe that employers should block sites that they do not want visited using work computers. The fact is, internet is addictive and I don't know a single person who doesn't surf a little every day.

My former company had software that tracked everything and a friend of mine in IS showed me how he could watch what someone was doing as they typed - I was shocked & that changed my habits immediately.

That's too much IMO. If you really care, spend 10 minutes with google.

I'd ask right back, So Mr Employer, I've seen your wife on a couple of website, should I name them?

GRINS, would love to see his expression at that.

YES, that question in an interview is out of line.........duh.........

Don't delude yourself. Although a misnomer, 1984 is here. They don't need to ask the question anymore. If you expose anything on-line it's all hanging out there if you take the time to dig deep enough...

I wouldn't work for you.

At the same time though; when I have been tasked with interviewing folks I have googled them looking to see if they are active in any technical circles (which are relevant to the positions in question).

None of their business and if someone asked me that I would walk out. Would not want to work for a company that intrusive.

I'm not sure but it may be illegal to ask a non work-related question that specific in an interview...I sure wouldn't ask it, or answer it.

I even refuse to write down my race on the applications. They can guess when I meet them.

I wouldn't want to work for a person asking such questions anyway. If they care, they have too much free time. Either they're hiring me because they believe I can do the job for them or not. If they do, then cut through the crap and make me an offer already. If not, say "not interested" and stop wasting my time.

Most companies have policies against asking personal questions to gauge the personality, morality, etc of the person in question. It opens you up to potential liability, because you have to be able to defend why you hired person A over person B. Technically you're not supposed to even ask if the person is married, has kids, etc. It's supposed to be work/skill related only.

Of course, in the real world I think every interview lightly delves into your personal life. If you asked me that question, I think we'd be done.

Interesting the motivation to ask such a question.

A potential employer asking it would certainly give me plenty of insight into their personality, thought process, and interpersonal demeanor. And not in a good way.

My IS guy showed me on his lap top all the sites that had visited that day. I am proud to say Pelican was #1.

How many submit to drug testing? To me it is more intrusive and less relevent.

That question is not illegal, AFAIK.

As for being insulting - well, some companies make you pee in a cup, and others pull your credit report, so hard to say where the line is.

Is it a useful question? I'm not sure.

For a position with a publicity risk, I'd certainly ask it - e.g. if you're running for public office, you'd better know what your campaign manager, advisers, etc are saying in Internet forums - actually, I'd demand that such people not be stupid enough to participate in forums at all. Ditto if I were a broadcaster hiring an on-air personality, etc.

I don't think any company really cares if you smoke weed. The pi$s test is for insurance requirements. I know I've had a boss or two, at companies that made me fill a bottle, who I know liked to party.

Certainly some occupations deserve more scrutiny than others.

Way back in the day worked for a Gov subcontractor and needed a security clearance.

Was one of those gigs were you needed signed permission in triplicate to make a photocopy and at the end of every day you had to dump your trash bin in an incinerator out back.

Having them call everyone I'd ever met and sift through my trash bins at home was expected.

But you asked as a general question.

If you had qualified certain situations up front the responses would have been different.

Just sayin.