Employers monitoring employee activity on social media sites is a relatively new phenomenon. However, a new study suggests surveillance is only going increase.
Technology industry analysts Gartner Inc. found 60% of corporations expect to implement formal programs for monitoring the behaviour of employees across social media platforms by 2015.
Ken Docherty, owner of www.vancouverresume.com, said, "Job seekers have been slow to realize that their employer or prospective employer has a vested interest in assessing their online persona.
"It's not just about skills. Employers are looking at the consistency of your personal brand across all platforms, and how it could impact their company."
In recent months Facebook, has threatened legal action against employers who demand login information from prospective employees as part of their formal interview process. While those types of requests are few and far between, employers are increasingly conscious of the way employee behaviour on social media sites can affect their business.
"If employers are starting to formalize online surveillance programs," Docherty said, "job seekers and employees must respond accordingly by carefully managing their personal brand."
