Scanning social networking sites as part of a hiring process

This study examined the relationship between personality ratings based on Facebook profiles and ratings of favorability for hire (FFH) for mock “applicants”. The relationship between the amount of Facebook information available to view and FFH was also explored. Participants viewed screenshots taken from the applicants’ Facebook profiles and rated five personality traits and FFH. Descriptive statistics revealed that FFH ratings and final hiring decisions often did not match. Also, it was found that Conscientiousness was correlated with FFH. There was no relationship between available information and the FFH rating. Discussion focuses on ramifications, limitations, and future research directions.