The Social Media Blacklist

By John Heaney on February 3, 2010 at 9:50 am
Featured, Interviewing, Networking, Social Media, The Search, Video

The Wall Street Journal published an article yesterday that described how many major search firms actually keep a blacklist of candidates that they would never consider for any job opening.

Typically, these firms add candidates to their blacklist who have exaggerated their qualifications, pitted recruiting firms against each other, received negative references or performed badly during the search process.

Previously, having your name blacklisted at a single search firm may not have affected your ability to find a new position, but with the proliferation of social media platforms, including industry specific social networking sites, your poor behavior won’t be limited to a single recruiter, but has the potential to be broadcast to a national network of recruiters.

Recruiters spend their entire day on the phone and online chatting with prospective candidates, checking references and engaging with other recruiters. They are professional communicators who have the ability to broadly disseminate negative information about any candidate who lied to them, falsified their accomplishments or behaved deceptively.

Job seekers often feel pressured to enhance their education and their professional achievements to merit consideration for a new job. However, it’s easier than ever to verify the details of a candidate’s background and once caught in a lie you may destroy the prospect of being considered by any recruiting firm. For years, perhaps forever.

The same social media platforms that allow you to reach recruiters all around the country with a single tweet also enable them to check on your qualifications and professionalism. If you’re honest and open, you’ll have nothing to worry about.