Choi+J.+Final+Report+Proposal

Choi J. TO: Proximity Social Networking Teams FROM: Jungwook Choi DATE: April 14, 2010 SUBJECT: Report Proposal

With more than 400 million active visitors, Facebook is arguably the most popular social networking site in the world. Our focus group results show that Gen Y users do not regard privacy as a major concern when using Facebook because they believe that their personal information can be protected by its security setting. I propose to write a report on the relation between Gen Y users as potential employees and Proximity clients as potential employers in terms of privacy on social networking sites.

Many employers are using social networking sites as a kind of professional tool appropriate and necessary to screen potential employers. According to many surveys, 30% of employers are using Facebook to screen potential employees for several reasons. Above all, a number of Gen Y users are willing to share their personal information or pictures. They tend to accept acquaintance and even strangers as their friends for social networking games or groups. In addition, some of them are likely to ignore personal security settings. Facebook has the option for users to customize lists of friends and decide what content members of each list can and cannot see. For Gen Y users, therefore, Facebook can be a vulnerable or valuable tool for connecting to potential employers. Therefore, Proximity clients who want to hire potential employees among Gen Y need this report to understand how effective and appropriate they can use it as a professional networking tool to check critical personal information of potential employees.
 * Need**

The proposed report, “Facebook for Potential Employers” will cover the following topics:
 * Topics**
 * What Gen Y users think about privacy on Facebook
 * How Gen Y users are protecting their personal information on Facebook
 * The weakness of personal security setting on Facebook
 * Why employers favor Facebook to screen potential employees
 * Whether it is effective and appropriate for employers to screen potential employees

 Brustein, Joshua (2010, March 26). Keeping a Closer Eye on Employees’ Social Networking. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from the New York Times: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/26/keeping-a-closer-eye-on-workers-social-networking/ It explains that service released earlier this week by Teneros, an online communication services company, makes it much easier for companies to keep tabs on their employees’ social networking activities. Therefore, the software called "Social Sentry" will automatically monitor Facebook and Twitter. It has always been possible, of course, for employers to look at what their workers are posting on social media. It is an increasingly common activity for human resources departments examining seriously prospective employees.
 * Sources**

Harvey, Adrielle (2010, April 4). Social networking: 'friend' vs. friend. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from CJonline: http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-04-04/social_networking_friend_vs_friend According to this article, it is unlikely for somone to approach a stranger and ask them to be friends in reality. However, many people are lilkely to make a lot of friends whom they have neither talked to nor met on social networking. They do not realize that they unconsciously share their personal information with realy friends and even strangers.

He, Chenlong (2010, March 22). Careers made with social networking. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from the Daily Cougar: http://thedailycougar.com/2010/03/22/careers-made-with-social-networking/ It explains that nearly 72 percent of young adults and 40 percent of adults 30 and older use some form of social networking site, such as Facebook and Twitter. Both Facebook and Twitter keep everyone well connected and constantly updated. These networking tools are extremely effective for establishing connections with your family and friends, but they can also have a strong impact when it comes to job searching.

Joyce, Erin (2010, April 6). 6 Career-Killing Facebook Mistakes. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from the San Francisco Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/04/06/investopedia43198.DTL It recommends job searchers not to make 6 career-killing mistake on Social Networking, especially, Facebook in order to get hired. According to many surveys, estimated 30% of employers are using Facebook to screen potnetial employees even more than those who check LinkedIn, a strictly professional social networking site.

Tosch, Margie (2010, March 17). Social Media: A Boon or a Bust for Candidates and Employers? Retrieved April 10, 2010, from 4hoteliers: http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=4916 It shows a study conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder. According to the study, 45 percent of employers questioned are using social networks to screen job candidates. And, The study, which questioned 2,667 managers and human resource workers, found that 35 percent of employers decided not to offer a job to a candidate based on the content found on one of more of the sites.

Wortham, Jenna (2009, August 20). More Employers Use Social Networking to Check Out Applicants. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from the New York Times: [] This article shows most job applicants have a general checklist before a job interview — updating a résumé, ironing a professional outfit, rehearsing an explanation for those two years spent bumming around after college. And, it reports that Facebook was the most popular online destination for employers to do their online sleuthing, followed by LinkedIn and MySpace. In addition, 7 percent followed job candidates on Twitter.

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