Potential employer wants to add me to Facebook

Pawnless Endgame · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:17

I was doing my daily search on the jobcentre's web site and I found a vacancy to a competitor to where I used to work. When applying, it instructs me to send them an email and attach my CV. I send them my email/CV, and within 10 minutes of me sending it, I get an automated email from Facebook asking me to accept the person who I just emailed, as a friend.

Okay, I've nothing to hide. My Facebook page is just personal stuff - photos, liking of Disney and links to friends and family. What does that has to do with my employer? If there is anything to view on a work basis, then sure, they can see that I have a B(Eng.) degree, but otherwise, there is nothing to gain from viewing my page. I'm not a big FB kid either.. they'll only see 2 or 3 updates on my page per year lol.

Would you accept the friend request?

Deadbeat · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:19

I've been working at my place for 18 months now, and only one of my colleagues has been added to my facebook. There are things on there that it's really best people don't see.

xJcBx · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:19

If you have loads of drunken pics of you passed out in town, no.

Other than that, go for it. Maybe they're just trying to be nice

apatia77 · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:21

This one is a very strange one, maybe he wants to check if you are a wild party guy that parties and drinks all the time as I imagine it can sometimes be said from a facebook page.

Call him back and ask why he invited you as a friend.

bledd · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:21

xJcBx said:
If you have loads of drunken pics of you passed out in town, no.

Lets face it 95% of facebook photos are the above.

On the bright side, it might let them know that you're not some sort of weird recluse?

Pawnless Endgame · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:21

Cheers! I treated it with suspicion, knowing that some employers are out to scrutinise their employers' FB pages. As I'm hardly on FB, it doesn't bother me too much, but I was surprised, with today being the first time it has ever happened to me, hence this thread.

Edit: I've checked my page and there are no drunk photos on it, so it should be ok :-)

mrfun1981 · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:21

Personally i thinks its got nothing to do with them, but if you got nothing to find & its a job that you really want no harm in adding them but i would be tempted to email them back asking why they want to add you

antijoke · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:22

I would not accept it.

apeZ · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:23

I have no co-workers on Facebook (ok, arguably, I'm not the most social person

) and I've been there for nearly 2 years. I'd rather it stayed like that, it's probably best to keep professional and private life seperate just in case it comes back to bite you in the rear somewhere along the line.

alex24 · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:24

No, why should they want to access your info on there, even if you have nothing to hide. Why don't you ask them what they're trying to find? Perhaps have a chat with you instead of 'spying', sort of.

bledd · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:26

also, when searching for jobs, create a new email address, otherwise you may get all sorts of spam and crap in your inbox

Begbie · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:26

I would not, but only because I most probably wouldn't get the job after it.

Stupot_ · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:27

You can always limit what they see if you do add them.

Cosimo · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:28

What’s it got to do with them, I wouldn’t accept it.

Josh107 · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:33

Just ignore it and if he says anything say you rarely go on, then maybe when you get the job and are settled accept him.

Pawnless Endgame · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:35

I haven't accepted the friend request yet, but I was thinking of writing along these lines:

Hiya. I just saw your friend request. It was within 10 minutes of me sending off a job-related email to someone with the same name as you. I've not nothing to hide but I feel that work and private life should stay separate It is not normal practise to be spied on before being contacted first, as what a employer should have done.

Cheers.

arknor · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:37

mrfun1981 said:
Personally i thinks its got nothing to do with them, but if you got nothing to find & its a job that you really want no harm in adding them but i would be tempted to email them back asking why they want to add you

i would never let an employee see my facebook page which is basicly family photos from holidays and never updated unless i put pictures on it.

its a total invasion of privacy to me someone wanting to spy on my facebook page is as bad an a potential employer calling at your house and wanting a guided tour to see how i live.

its nothing to do with them what happens in work is work what happens outside of work is your business unless your some type of ambassador or spokesman.

you wont get the job with the above reply just ignore it he doesnt know how often you check facebook

BFCTom · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:38

I'd ignore it. That response makes it look like you do have something to hide more than anything.

Gamer_T · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:39

Monserrat said:
I haven't accepted the friend request yet, but I was thinking of writing along these lines:

Hiya. I just saw your friend request. It was within 10 minutes of me sending off a job-related email to someone with the same name as you. I've not nothing to hide but I feel that work and private life should stay separate It is not normal practise to be spied on before being contacted first, as what a employer should have done.

Cheers.

If you send that you aren't going to get the job at all lol. Just ignore it and don't mention it IMO.

chrisxuk · 26 Apr 2010 at 17:39

Don't accept or decline. Then if he ever asks why you haven't accepted, just say you don't visit Facebook anymore.