Social Media Background Screening - What Impact Will It Have on the Job Seeker?

Prior to making a hiring decision, companies now commonly undertake criminal background checks and credit checks to verify the information gleaned from resumes and during interviews. Understandably, they want to ensure a safe working environment for their staff, service providers, and clients.


This verification process is often outsourced to companies that provide these services. Interestingly, another similar service is being offered – social media background screening, which investigates social and professional networking sites, blogs, and wikis, along with video and picture sharing websites. Social Intelligence is one such company that checks sites like Facebook, Myspace, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Craigslist for employers.

Social Intelligence doesn’t store social data. Rather it looks at up to seven years of a person’s history, but stores nothing. As well, it doesn’t pass on identifiable photos. In fact, it screens for only a few things: aggressive or violent acts or assertions, unlawful activity, discriminatory activity (for example, making racist statements), and sexually explicit activity. Also, it uses only the data an employer provides to run a search. This tends to be standard issue information from an applicant’s resume: a person’s name, university, email address, and physical location. Thus, ultimately, the applicant is the one supplying all the data for a background check.

These kinds of services actually make a lot of sense. Employers would have to be unwise not to Google job candidates; yet, it seems better for both the employer and the candidate to have a disinterested third party perform such background checks. If the prospect of having social media screening seems discomforting, job candidates should realize that most employers are already conducting such reviews. In surveys, most employers admit that they check out applicants’ Facebook pages, blogs, and Google footprints. One might well wonder whether this could be a violation of the law if the employer sees something that shouldn’t be seen (like religion or sexuality) or decides not to hire someone based on something that’s been found.

When employers work with companies that perform social media background screening, applicants are presented with reports on the information found. Then applicants can challenge the legitimacy of the information (just as they can with a credit check) or know what might be hurting their employment prospects. The process seems to be providing a service not just for employers, but also for job applicants.

Pardon Services Canada can assist with Criminal Background Checks, as well as Removing a Criminal Record through obtaining a Canadian Pardon and acquiring a US Entry Waiver. A Client Specialist will provide a complimentary private consultation to answer any questions, keeping all information strictly confidential.

Looking For a Job In Canada with a Canadian Criminal Record? What to Know, and How to Get That Dream Job!

Everyone knows, interviewing for a job is stressful. What can be even more stressful is going into an interview with a Canadian Criminal Record. This article addresses what your potential employer can legally ask about your criminal record, what you need to say and ultimately, how to get the job!

            The most important thing is location; different provinces have different restrictions and limitations on employers for what they can ask of prospective clients.

·         Employers in Ontario, British Columbia, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories cannot ask about conviction records nor can employers falling under federal jurisdiction. However, if information about a criminal record is legitimately needed for employment purposes the question can be phrased “Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence for which a Pardon has not been granted?”

·         In Quebec, PEI and the Yukon, a criminal record is considered grounds for discrimination, making this question illegal. Again, unless the knowledge of the criminal conviction is relevant to the position (see below).

·         Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia do not offer protection against discrimination based on criminal records, pardoned or otherwise. Once a Pardon is granted any previous criminal record WILL NOT be accessible to any employer.

It is illegal in all jurisdictions nationwide to ask applicants if they have ever been arrested.

Which employers can request a criminal record check?

Canadian Hiring Practices: all employers may ask for a criminal record check if they have established that it is a Bona Fide Occupational Requirement (BFOR). This is defined as a justifiable reason for discrimination based on a business necessity (being required for the safe and efficient operation of the organization) alternatively, as intrinsically required by the tasks an employee is expected to perform.

What Situations Would Lead to a BFOR

·         Requirement to be bonded

·         Required to work on a secured job-site

·         Employee theft prevention

·         Required to work with/for vulnerable persons

·         Required to travel internationally/cross borders.

What Options Are Available

If you are in the job market or looking for career opportunities and have a criminal record then a Canadian Pardon is the best option available. The Pardon can be attained quickly, confidentially and with financing available. A criminal background check can be done extremely fast and will show you what your potential will see. Then, apply for a Canadian Pardon with an accredited, reputable Pardon Service Company, and get that dream job.