Remember those pictures someone took of you when you were faced last Thursday at the bar, and you ended up passed out on the bathroom floor in the ample arms of the Taco Town cashier?
Yeah, you remember. Well if you post those pics to your Myspace page, chances are they may make an unwanted cameo during your next job search, thanks to a new tool called Spokeo/HR. 
Spokeo/HR is designed for HR professionals who want more than just a criminal background check as a resource when making a decision on a candidate. With just a person’s email address, a recruiter can search over 40 sites on the Web for content linked to the candidate, including social networking sites, YouTube videos, and photos on Flickr.Â
“Along the way we realized that HR industries have a real need for Spokeo, since they were doing online personality checks manually,” Co-creator Ray Chen said. “Our research showed us that 35 percent of HR managers were doing Google checks and 23 percent of HR managers were doing specific checks on social networks.
Next, creators Harrison Tang and Ray Chen say they plan on adding job boards to the search capabilities.
Time will tell if HR will insist on capturing the entire scope of a person’s life, both privately and professionally, each time before making a decision to hire, and if such a portrait prevents costly hiring mistakes and improves ROI. It definitely would have set off alarms in this famous incident.
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July 11th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Vanessa,
You will see from the many articles we have written on this topic that using social networking sites for background checks is a terrible practice. Not only does it violate many areas of the FCRA but also various areas of the EEOC.
http://blog.employeescreen.com/?s=facebook&x=16&y=11
Best,
Jason Morris
employeescreenIQ
July 11th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Vanessa,
I remember posting about the same situation on my blog a while ago too. Companies around the world now screen online networks for candidates coming in for interviews. We all are suspect as it depends how much personal as well as professional information is posted on our profiles. From religious requirements to single or married questions to political leanings, the information about us in social networks has an impact on recruiters, and they’re not always talking about it. You thought background checks were invasive, but social networks, for all their value, or an implicit invitation to compare your friends and connections in determining if you are suitable to hire.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Pandora called and she wants you to stop messing with her box Spokeo.
I guess I can understand the employers perspective and all but an online personality check? Why not stick with something that has a lot more reliability (and years of studies behind it)? You know, a real personality test.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Like a Myers Briggs Personality Test!
July 15th, 2008 at 2:04 am
This is SUCH a waste of time.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
This is great, thanks!
Interesting how they offer search and usage anonymity, which should alleviate some people doubts and qualms about using social networks as a way to research others.