Adapting to the ‘new normal’ with social media checks

There have been more digital evolution in the last 2 months than has occurred in the last 2 years. Have you stopped to look at how technology can be applied to the most human of interactions – the interview and hiring process?

With virtual interviews now a part of the new normal, we are having to rely on a much more narrow ‘view’ of the candidate to make key hiring decisions. In the absence of face-to-face feedback, we need to assess a candidate in different ways to ensure we make the best decision.

"The Giant online system was very straight forward to set up and use and the reports are created swiftly and are very comprehensive."

With greater challenges in the hiring process, can technology help to bridge the gap?

One way to better understand a candidate’s character and behaviour are by looking at their social media activity. Are they angry or caring online? Are they engaged in charity work that shows grit and commitment to a cause? Are there any discrepancies between their online behaviour and what you see during the interview?

But before you dive into social media checks, be aware that there are risks in looking at the data without some rules in place first. Using a third party to conduct thorough global checks ensures you don’t let unconscious bias creep in and leave you open to accusations of bias.

It can also be a minefield when there are hundreds, often thousands of posts to review across a whole host of social media profiles (some being not so easy to find). This is where technology helps, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) creating efficiencies and removing the margin for human error. Human QA of the results can then remove the margin for error in an AI-only approach, resulting in a high-quality report.

Industry bodies such as AFODD ensure checks are compliant, secure, and fair to both the employer and the candidate.

When social media checks become a core step in your hiring process, you will see the full value of an approach designed for the digital era.