Why do employers use Facebook?

Is your Facebook profile tame enough that you could show it to your grandmother? Those and other questions are being posed as word spreads that some potential employers (not to mention school administrators) view students’ Facebook profiles. If Facebook and MySpace are meant just for fun and socially connecting with others, why do employers look at them?

Hiring a new employee is a serious investment for an organization. They are paying your salary and benefits, paying overhead for equipment, office space, and supplies, and paying someone to train you. All told, that’s some serious cash they’re spending by hiring you.
If you were about to invest in a company’s stock, would you do background checks to see how the company has performed, who they have in their leadership, and whether they’re a trustworthy investment? You bet you would! Many organizations approach Facebook profiles in the same light. They have an investment to make, and they want to make sure you are worth investing in. Do you demonstrate poor judgment by boasting about engaging in illegal activities (regardless of whether you actually did so)? Are you the type of employee who would hurt the culture or morale by complaining publicly about your boss and co-workers? Could you be depended upon to show up to work?
Most employers understand that college is a time to try things and have fun. And for the most part they don’t mind; many were in college at one time themselves and know what it’s like. But they are concerned about the judgment that you demonstrate by making those activities public by posting them on the internet. Whether on Facebook, MySpace, a personal blog, or other internet site, what you write and post is very public. Even if you change the default security settings, a lot of things are still visible and they are always backed up on a server somewhere; even after you delete a picture it still exists somewhere. Many of my colleagues have predicted that during an election campaign in 10 years, pictures and postings will come back to haunt a candidate. And what about your friends’ profiles? Do they have any pictures of you that might damage your reputation? While Facebook and other sites are meant just for fun, they can be dangerous as well.
Now, not every employer uses Facebook; in fact, most don’t. And you shouldn’t interpret this to mean you can’t use those sites. By all means, go nuts with them. Just make sure your greater online persona is positive, or at the very least, clean.