“Privacy is not a partisan issue,” says Connecticut
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D) about the new bill he is drafting in response to
a recent common interview question. “What
are the passwords to your social media accounts?” an employer may ask. But this
question has the potential of putting both the interviewers and interviewees in
a rough spot. That's why Senator Blumenthal plans to enlist the help of colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the bill.
Most people will not and do not feel comfortable
giving out access to their social media sites to potential employers-not because they are afraid
of what an employer might find, but for privacy reasons. But until the time
that a bill gets passed to stop this practice, an individual seeking a job
should be prepared in the event that this question comes up. Tony Morrison,
Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, gives a few suggestions of
things to say for those who might feel uncomfortable divulging such
information:
1-“I am very careful with my personal, private
online persona and do not feel comfortable giving out any passwords. But you
can feel free to look at my profile as it appears to you as a company right
now, if you would like.”
2-“I would never participate in social media on the
organization’s time and ask that the organization will respect my personal
social media rights outside of work.”
3-“My LinkedIn network is a great place for you to
review my professional experience and see the professional connections that I
have that may be of benefit to your organization.”
4-“Is that something that is required to move
forward with this job interview?”
Statements such as these will hopefully improve the situation
and help the employer to realize the importance of privacy to you.
But asking this question can also be damaging to the
potential employer. If they find that the interviewee is part of a protected
group and the position is not offered, an employer could potentially put
themselves in a sticky legal situation on the grounds of discrimination.
It is beneficial for both the interviewee and
employer if this question is not discussed during an interview. If it does come
up though, remember that it is not required for hiring. By withholding your
social media site passwords you may be protecting both yourself and your future
employer.
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