Job candidates getting tripped up by Facebook

One job applicant indicated in his Facebook profile that he was a leading hacker, and he was applying to be a computer security analyst, said Ponemon. He too didn’t get the job.

“It’s amazing how many things people just put out there,” said Murphy of the human resources association.

Facebook users often don’t expect their personal information to be monitored by potential employers, and many consider their online profile information to be private.

A study by Adecco, a work force consulting firm, showed that 66 percent of Generation Y respondents, those in their late teens and 20s, were not aware that the information they put online can be factored into hiring decisions. Fifty-six percent said they think the practice is unfair.

Originally Facebook was seen as a safe "closed circuit" site, in which profiles would only be visible to people in a limited group. The site originally required users to register with a valid college e-mail address. But it loosened the restriction last summer to allow registration with any e-mail account. Facebook networks, which had been relatively small, expanded to include companies and even large geographic areas.

The new policies of Facebook drew public attention this year when Miss New Jersey Amy Polumbo nearly lost her crown after being blackmailed over pictures of her that were taken off her Facebook profile. Ultimately the judges decided not to take away her title, but her crown was tarnished.

Fact file Cleaning up your Web self Career consultants advise students to check their online appearance before applying for jobs. Some tips: -- Google yourself early and often, to know what has been said about you. If you see false or unauthorized information, ask the webmaster to remove the content. -- Be careful about what you post on social networking sites. Don't post anything you wouldn't  want a potential employer to see. Change the privacy setting to make personal information available only to close friends. -- Create a positive virtual presence. Start a blog about your industry. It might not lead to a job,  but it will help define your online persona and help push down unfavorable items in Web searches. MSNBC

“This was meant to be private,” Polumbo told TODAY Show host Matt Lauer, referring to photos that showed her fully clothed but posing provocatively and drinking at clubs.

“People have a common misconception about how big their networks really are,” said Michael Fertik, CEO of Reputationdefender.com, a year-old startup offering services to minimize the damage of Web background checks. “Nothing on the Internet is private. Period.”

Reputationdefender.com offers to monitor one’s Web reputation for $10 a month plus a one-time fee of $30 to remove from the Web an unwanted item that may have slipped out of the user’s control.

In one high-profile case last spring, a group of law school students found that pictures were taken off their Facebook accounts and reposted onto an online discussion board without their permission. Whoever posted the pictures then invited suggestive comments.

The law students tried to have their pictures removed from the discussion board, complaining that they had been shunned in job interviews.

“People also have to understand the standard you will be judged against in hiring,” said Fertik. “Employers don’t have to believe what they see — they only have to decide not to take a chance on you.”

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