Question: We are a small company. The owners
want us to include personal information on their social media pages and be part
of a monthly newsletter to clients. For example, information about what we’ve
been doing with our families or favorite recipes. This makes me uncomfortable,
as I want to keep my personal and professional lives separate. The owners are
making this mandatory. Can I say no? — Michele L.
A: Yes, you can say no. But let me
suggest another approach that involves conversation and compromise. How about asking the owners to talk more about
what they hope to accomplish by sharing such information?
Many businesses are eager to take advantage of
the personal engagement that can be developed through social media or
newsletters. However, sometimes they haven’t thought about the risks associated
with putting such information out there. Listen to their thoughts about why and how they
want to use the information. Then share your concerns.
You might mention that publishing employee
photographs or personal family information could potentially expose an employee
or her family to security risks. Remind them that once photos and info are
public, the company has little control over where they may end up.
You could suggest your company prepare an
employee authorization/release to help owners understand they really should
get your permission before sharing any personal information.
Now comes the compromise part. If your employer
insists all employees participate, consider a middle ground. You could agree to
post a favorite recipe, a photo of the family pet or other information that has
less risk of revealing personal information than your picture.This could help your company meet its digital
engagement goals and still keep most of your personal business offline.
Q: A recruiter requested that we FaceTime or
Google Hangout as part of the interview process. This request made me
uncomfortable. I pushed to meet in person, but the recruiter opted for a phone
call. It didn’t go well. I feel the use of video is a way to potentially
discriminate. (I’m in my 50s and African-American.) When I declined the video chat, it seemed as if the recruiter felt I was hiding something. What do you
think about video interviews? Should I have said yes? — David L.
A: If you are unfamiliar with a new
technology, it is understandable that it may feel uncomfortable, especially in
the high-stakes context of a job search. But inevitably, the hiring process
will reveal the candidate’s gender, race and age, so video interviewing doesn’t
really present a significant additional risk.
Video interviewing is a growing technology used
by employers in recruiting and hiring, and it is not going away. Not only can
video help job seekers make a connection with a company earlier in the process without the added expense and disruption of an
on-site interview, it allows recruiters to interview more candidates face to
face earlier in the process.
Don’t let your discomfort with the technology
be a barrier to using it. The secret to successful video interviewing is
practice. Try out different systems and setups. Watch
how-to videos on YouTube for guidance on lighting and camera angle. Get
comfortable chatting with friends on free video platforms such as Zoom and
Skype.
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