by Deborah Millhouse, President, CEO Inc.
I recently participated in a news story about employers using social media as a hiring tool. There are significant opportunities available now, and Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN and other social media platforms are rapidly becoming an important way to hunt for jobs and employees. But the way most employers meet and get to know job candidates is still in person, face-to-face, with a handshake and an interview.
In the job market, trust is extremely important. Employers don’t really know who and what they’re getting in a candidate without meeting him or her, and trust becomes a huge factor in whether or not that candidate is a good hire. With resume fraud expected to become an even bigger issue in 2010, employers should be wary of embellished, misleading or untrue accomplishments.
You cannot let social media be your only window to the job market, whether you are searching for a job or searching for a new employee. It is still important to check references, to go through an interview process with multiple candidates, and to meet people in person. It is very important for job seekers to understand that social media alone will not get the job done; in fact, a candidate who relies solely on social media should raise a red flag with employers.
Most people prefer a handshake to a keystroke. Honesty and integrity are qualities which can only be proved in person, and you’d be surprised how much more impressed employers and candidates alike are by a phone call than a Tweet.
