Why I don’t care about your beer-drinking party pictures on Facebook when you’re applying for a job

I’ll start off by saying that if I had two potential hires with similar experience, I’d choose the one with the party pics on Facebook over someone who has a very inactive Facebook or someone who is unfindable because they changed their last name on Facebook to their middle name. This article also won’t apply to some industries (ie. politics, law, etc.) but it should apply to most.

Three reasons I’m going with the “party pic-er”:

1. It shows that you have the ability to interact in a social setting
2. It shows that you’re not afraid to stand by who you are as a person
3. It shows that you’re not afraid to take a personality online

2010 is over. Companies who are spending money to research candidates for inappropriate pictures on social media are wasting their time and money. Social media is no longer this new, hip, fad that kids are doing. It’s a culture change in the primary way we express ourselves as people, share our interests, and interact with other people. It’s not for telling everybody how you like to act at work. The plain fact is that nobody is the same person in the workplace as they are with their friends, family, or in any social setting. It’s just not how it works.

Let’s think about it… would a couple of party pics on Facebook from college or a weekend getaway with some friends really determine how well someone does in the workplace? Would you expect a “party-pic’er” to take a beer funnel during their lunch break at the office? Smoke weed in their cubical? How about end up black out wasted in the conference room with inappropriate images drawn on their face? I don’t think so… However, showing that you can have some fun is good for productivity, company culture, and overall employee morale.

At the end of the day, employers need to understand that personal social media profiles are for people to express themselves (mostly outside of the work). People who post drinking pictures at parties show that they have the capacity to attend and probably interact in those settings. The ability to interact, both face to face and digitally, is so important in 2014. As an employer, how will I know you can interact with others based on a resume and a one-on-one interview?

This is NOT at all saying that people who don’t have party pics on their Facebook are lacking. Not at all. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be ashamed if you do. If it’s not your scene, that’s fine. If it is, that’s fine too. The overall message here is to take stand for who you are, use your social media profiles to share your true interests, and don’t be afraid to do it. This just happens to be an article for those who do have “party” pictures online, no matter how old or recent. Let’s also think about this: if an employer is so strong minded about not hiring you for a few red cup beer pics, is that a place you really want to work at anyway?

I’m a believer in practicing what you preach and having an authentic online presence so here’s a little preview I put together for you.

Tell me how one of these photos would make me an ineffective employee?

Agree? Disagree? Does this change your outlook on the visibility of your Facebook? Employers, I would love to hear you thoughts. Let me know @joekrug