Private investigations have become essential for employers, especially when vetting potential candidates. Social media now plays a significant role in this process, offering a publicly accessible view of a candidate’s personality, behavior, and values. With privacy laws and legal constraints in place, employers rely on private investigators to gather relevant and lawful information from social media platforms. Understanding how to use social media in investigations can help employers make informed hiring decisions while minimizing legal risks.

The Growing Role of Social Media in Employment Decisions

Employers use social media as a tool to gain a fuller understanding of candidates beyond their resumes and interviews. While a resume shows professional qualifications, social media reveals aspects of a candidate’s character, values, and even interests that may not surface during interviews. Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, provide essential context that allows employers to assess a candidate’s fit for the workplace.

Employers often examine social media to:

Despite the usefulness of social media, it’s not without risk. Employers must be careful not to violate privacy laws or introduce biases, which could lead to legal issues. Transitioning to a more formal process, many employers now turn to private investigators to ensure the legal and ethical use of social media in hiring.

Why Employers Turn to Private Investigators

Private investigators are trained professionals who can handle social media investigations within legal boundaries. They ensure that only lawful, public information is accessed and that it’s done without crossing ethical lines. Their expertise allows businesses to conduct social media screenings in a fair, accurate, and unbiased way.

Private investigators provide value by:

Incorporating professional investigators helps prevent costly hiring mistakes, giving employers confidence in their decision-making. Private investigators not only gather the necessary information but also ensure that employers comply with relevant privacy laws, keeping the entire process ethical.

Social media contains a wealth of personal information, but employers need to navigate this carefully. Privacy laws protect candidates from discrimination based on protected characteristics, such as race, religion, or age. Mishandling this information could lead to legal ramifications.

Employers should follow these ethical practices:

Failing to follow these guidelines can result in claims of discrimination, lawsuits, and damage to the company’s reputation. A private investigator can make sure employers use only relevant and permissible information in their hiring processes.

Key Social Media Platforms for Investigations

Different social media platforms offer varied insights about candidates. Investigators are skilled at evaluating each platform for its specific strengths, gathering the information that is most relevant to employers.

Commonly used platforms include:

Each platform provides different layers of information, allowing investigators to build a comprehensive understanding of the candidate. While platforms like Facebook and Instagram may give a more personal glimpse, LinkedIn serves as a professional benchmark for verifying skills and experience.

The Impact of Social Media Screening on Hiring Decisions

Social media screening can provide employers with crucial information, but it’s important to avoid making decisions based on a single post or image. Instead, investigators look for recurring patterns or behaviors that could impact a candidate’s potential fit with the company.

Private investigators often identify patterns such as:

By focusing on patterns rather than isolated incidents, investigators provide employers with a clearer, more reliable picture of the candidate. Transitioning from traditional background checks, social media screenings give employers additional layers of insight that might be missed in interviews or reference checks.

Balancing Privacy and Transparency

Candidates expect a certain level of privacy during the hiring process, and employers must respect this while ensuring transparency. Social media investigations must be handled in a way that balances these two needs. Hiring a private investigator can help ensure that employers respect privacy boundaries while gaining the insights they need to make the best hiring decisions.

To maintain this balance, employers should:

This approach protects both the employer and the candidate. It ensures that personal privacy is respected, and it gives the employer confidence that their hiring decisions are informed and lawful.

Best Practices for Employers Using Social Media in Hiring

To avoid potential pitfalls, employers must establish clear guidelines for using social media as part of their hiring process. Creating a structured approach helps avoid issues of bias and ensures that all candidates are treated fairly.

Key best practices include:

These best practices not only protect the company from legal risks but also ensure fairness and equality in the hiring process. Additionally, it helps avoid any appearance of bias or discrimination, which could harm the company’s reputation.

Why Employers Should Take Social Media Seriously

Social media offers employers a deeper, more comprehensive look at a candidate’s values, ethics, and potential fit with the company. While the use of social media is valuable, it must be conducted carefully to avoid legal risks. Private investigators play a crucial role in ensuring these screenings are done ethically and in compliance with privacy laws.

For employers looking to safeguard their hiring processes, private investigations through social media are no longer optional. They provide essential insights that can inform better hiring decisions while keeping the process legal and fair.

Walter Leslie Jr.

Operations Manager

Walter is an observant and vigilant, safety-driven security professional with 14+ years of leadership experience across commercial, residential, and corporate security sectors. Walter offers extensive expertise in developing and executing comprehensive physical security procedures and protocols. Specializing in risk assessments, he has successfully implemented mitigation strategies for clients, reducing potential security threats.

Outside of work, he is family-oriented and enjoys traveling with his wife Jackie, and their dog Aries. He is an avid sports enthusiast and loves the Washington Commanders and Washington Nationals.

Cynthia Cox

Human Resources Manager

With 21 years of management experience across various industries, including staffing, transportation, small business ownership, accounting, and operations, Cynthia brings a wealth of knowledge and a robust skill set to Defender One. Her diversified background has equipped her with a keen understanding of multiple business domains, making her an invaluable asset to the team.

Matthew Goodman

Assistant Director of Operations
Matt currently serves as Defender One’s Assistant Director of Operations. Matt is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Defender One and works closely with the Director of Operations & Training to implement goals and objectives for the company. As a nationally certified School Resource Officer and Force Science Analyst, Matt brings an interpersonal and holistic approach to the industry. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from York College. Outside of work, Matt is an avid outdoorsmen, spending time perfecting his landscaping skills. Matt also enjoys quality time with his wife Ashley, and two cats, Ollie and Leo, as well as watching the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens.

Jennifer Krieger

Director of Human Resources
Jen currently serves as Defender One’s Director of Human Resources, managing our HR and back end finance teams. Jen has 30 years of experience in healthcare benefits administration, retirement benefits, financial planning and human resources. Jen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Master’s Degree in Finance from Loyola University. Jen prioritizes an employee focused and driven company, with an emphasis on client and employee satisfaction. Outside of work, Jen enjoys running, watching her daughter play Division 1 Lacrosse, and playing with her grand-dogs.

Jared Krieger

Director of Operations & Training
Jared currently serves as the Director of Operations & Training at Defender One. In this role, Jared is responsible for the overall operations and training of Defender One and its staff. Jared currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Homeland Security & Counterterrorism. Jared is board certified in Security Management and Board certified as a Physical Security Processional by the American Society of Industrial Security. Jared is also an accredited Law Enforcement instructor in the following disciplines: Firearms, OC Spray, Expandable Baton, Handcuff, Taser, Defensive Tactics, and Force Science Analytics. Outside of work, Jared enjoys traveling and spending time with his girlfriend and three dogs.

Jon Krieger

Owner
Jon is the President and Founder of Defender One. Jon started Defender One in 2009, with the goal of bridging the gap between conventional security guards and law enforcement. Jon had a long and distinguished career in a large metropolitan police department for over 30 years, holding supervisory positions in several units, including patrol, internal affairs, traffic and community outreach. Jon has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park. Outside of work, Jon spends his time spoiling his grand-dogs Fred and Barney, supporting the Ravens and Orioles, and watching his daughter play Division 1 Lacrosse.