Vet Facebook Photo

[snopes]

Rumour has it that increasingly yoof-savvy employers have started checking out candidates’ Facebook and MySpace pages. And there’s a particularly nasty urban myth doing the rounds about a guy who allegedly had a training contract at a big firm in the bag – until the interviewers saw the close up of his testicles he’d posted as his Facebook profile photo.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle2031463.ece

[Ali Infree]

A number of months ago, Morning Edition on NPR mentioned that employers were looking up candidates' profiles on MySpace, and presumably, FaceBook. It isn't surprising really. You can search my name, by location, and by age. A reasonably good photo will allow them to spot you quickly.

And then the fun begins....


Ali "no, that's a bratwurst" Infree

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by Ali Infree

A number of months ago, Morning Edition on NPR mentioned that employers were looking up candidates' profiles on MySpace, and presumably, FaceBook. It isn't surprising really. You can search my name, by location, and by age. A reasonably good photo will allow them to spot you quickly.

And then the fun begins....

My Facebook page is set to private; that is, only people I add as friends can see the page. Surely, that hinders the information an employer can gather from Facebook.

[SmallTownKid]

Originally Posted by Canuckistan

My Facebook page is set to private; that is, only people I add as friends can see the page. Surely, that hinders the information an employer can gather from Facebook.

I just went to facebook and clicked the profile of a random snopester in the group. You can't see the page, but next to the person's name is his/her profile pic. So, if someone set a picture of part of their anatomy as a profile pic, anyone with a facebook account could see it.

[Beastly Despot]

When I worked in juvenile probation, someone suggested I search some of my clients names on myspace and facebook. I started doing it regularly when I realized a lot of kids posted pics of themselves using marijuana or holding guns.

You should have seen some of the looks when I would pull up their page when they came in for an appt. Nothing was really admissible in court, but I always thought it was a good lesson for them about posting stuff on the internet that might be seen by people other than who they expect.

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by SmallTownKid

I just went to facebook and clicked the profile of a random snopester in the group. You can't see the page, but next to the person's name is his/her profile pic. So, if someone set a picture of part of their anatomy as a profile pic, anyone with a facebook account could see it.

I'm quite aware of that. But that would be about all they would be able to get. Oh, maybe my network, too, but that's assuming I have one.

ETA: Without the extra information, that could be anyone with that name posting the picture of the testicles. An employer is unlikely dumb enough to fire a really qualified candidate because someone with the same name did something dumb.

[Canuckistan]

Originally Posted by Beastly Despot

When I worked in juvenile probation, someone suggested I search some of my clients names on myspace and facebook. I started doing it regularly when I realized a lot of kids posted pics of themselves using marijuana or holding guns.

See, that's just dumb. I'm rather guarded about the information I release on the Internet. And given that the safe aspects of my life are bizarre enough, anyway, there's no need to put out any picture like that. Not that I would be stupid enough to ever take one like that, either.

[Mickey Blue]

One of the places I applied to recently asked in their app (as optional information to be fair) if I "Belonged to any online webgroups" and if so to list the URL and my user name.

Bizzarre...

-MB

[FloridaGirl]

I don't have a Myspace or Facebook page. I figure it can get me into more trouble than it's worth.

[sarahmonkey]

Originally Posted by SmallTownKid

I just went to facebook and clicked the profile of a random snopester in the group. You can't see the page, but next to the person's name is his/her profile pic. So, if someone set a picture of part of their anatomy as a profile pic, anyone with a facebook account could see it.

It is possible to change your Facebook privacy settings so that no one can even see your profile picture without your first adding them as a friend. You can choose exactly what information people see when they search for you. Go to Privacy, then Search, and toward the bottom of the page there is a section on "What Can People Do With My Search Results." You can check or uncheck each of the following:

See your picture
Send you a message
Poke you
Add you as a friend
View your friend list

You can also choose to narrow down who is able to find you in a search -- you can choose "only my friends" and prevent anyone else from even being able to find that you have a Facebook profile.

[Eve MG]

I'm still stunned that people post embarrassing things with their real names. If you want to rant about work or show pictures of your testicles, get an anonymous Live Journal. I'm even careful here because I use my real name and picture, I wouldn't say something about people I know (even if I don't mention them by name) that I wouldn't want them to see.

[charlie23]

Just curious, but why would a picture of someone's testicles posted on facebook have an impact on their job qualifications?
"We're sorry sir, but we looked at your profile on the internet and we simply don't feel like you have the **lls for this job..."

[forceflow15]

The article in the OP was specifically geared to law students. While in most jobs, an online picture of testicles may not impact job qualifications, it can in the law. Most large firms are very conservative in outlook on these things, preferring that you keep those sort of things under wraps.