Out of Pod Experience

Just curious to see how prevalent it is, I'm told its odd but noone in my family cares about it and I have my friends on Skype and telephone so communications are channelled through there. Now I've been sent this article and can't figure out how accurate is given its on the Daily Mail. However a few places seem to have backed up the idea that HR uses Facebook/Twitter/Myspace(damn hipsters) and the like to filter applications. I get why this would happen but its the idea that not having anything to study there or being closed there is a redflag in their eyes.

Anyone know anything about this?

I have a profile on each, never saw the need to keep it updated and Twitter was used for XboxLive support to avoid the fees. LinkedIn has a profile inserted though.

Well, I'm 21 years old and yes I do use social media. But there's a lot of crap on there from people i know like.

"Just woke up 2 minutes late OMG YOLO NOWAY ^_^ <3<3<3"

Facebook groups for my college projects.
Google Docs shared documents to work on papers simultaneously .
Skype for discussions.
Google Hangout for rehearsal presentations .

OF COURSE we use social media

I wouldn't put a lot of stock into the claim of red flags. Like you said the first sign is the source material, and the fact that they repeatedly tell you that not having it is cause for alert or suspicion but not once do they explain why. All they do is point at 2 crazy people and say they didn't have a social network page therefore that makes them crazy. It kind of makes me wonder if they put all those technologically impaired and retired folk in the same category.

However it has become common practice for companies to look you up to get a personality persona from you. And no, you are not required to give them your facebook page nor are you required to make any of it public. If they only get to see a picture of you at the park then that's all they get. I know it has proven (semi) useful for my work from time to time. Years ago when Myspace was the big thing we tracked down one guys page. Now we knew him as the weird quiet rapper looking guy who drove a rice burner fiesta that sounded like a weed wacker. His Myspace page was all gothic and about death and blood. That may be a bit of a red flag but it simply meant we kept our distance from him, we didn't have him committed or anything.
It's also a great way for companies to see what you are saying about them behind their back. Another case we had was a lead who felt like he was being BS'd by the company and he ended up writing this big rant on his myspace page, basically saying all kinds of **** about the job and how horrible it is to work here. Well one of his 'friends' anonymously sent that to the main office and the guy got the walk of shame out the front door the next night. Just a little something to keep in mind the next time you decide to write my job sucks on your wall.

Now I personally use Facebook to keep in touch with a few friends and coworkers, and I have Linkedin as well. Linkedin is a professional networking site and it is your resume online. There you have contacts, not a friends list, and they send business news to your email. We were required to build a page as part of our final project in our how to build a resume class.

Facebook: Yes, but I regret it. Good to keep in touch with family tho.

Skype: Yes, but only started it when I started podcasting.

Twitter: Yes, but still dont understand why the f**k I did.

LinkedIn: Yes, not only do I regret it but dont understand why the f**k I did.

facebook, but I hate it more and more every day.

So you saw some new shoes at a store? Guess what, I don't give damn, please don't spam my account with 10 f*cking status updates about some f*cking shoes in a store. I don't care. I will never care.

And yes, if I like your status, I will totally end world hunger and child abuse..riiiight..

Sh*t like this is the reason I only log into facebook maybe once per month.

Clearly, you need a better class of 'friend.'
I've added friends judiciously and occasionally pruned, as needed. I get very little of that kind of crap.

I use only a couple of forums and about 5 emails a week (social, not work email).

No Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc

No messengers like Yahoo, MSN, AOL, etc

I do have Steam, although I rarely log onto the Friends list. Only part of two groups as well and both of them have been defunct for quite some time.

I just outgrew it all years ago. Of course, I''m an old fart too. I was using Quantum Link back in 1985 thru 1989 when I joined the Navy. In 1991, Quantum Link became AOL.

Just no interest in tracking other people's lives online nor having them track mine.

Got a Facebook account, don't use it.

Had a Myspace account, burned it to the ground.

May, or may not, have a Twitter account. Don't really care.

About the only forum I post to is EVE-O.

I only have a very very short list of people that I text as it is easier with our work schedules.

I'm not big on talking on the phone, so I try to minimize that. Unless it's the wife, kid, my dad, or work related.

Email is pretty much used for business related stuff.

I'm fighting the war on idle chit-chat. Unless I'm half drunk and talking **** with friends and family.

I don't need to know every little detail about someone's life.

LinkedIn for professional contacts. Networking is important.

Facebook I use for... hrm. No idea. Ah, now I remember. I login to facebook to make sure my privacy settings are still locked down.

Twitter... well I do read "best tweets about < some event here >" articles on major news sites.


As far as young folks getting flagged by HR for not being on social media, that's probably an exaggeration... err wait http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2313367/CISPA-Amendment-US-cyber-attack-law-banning-employers-asking-Facebook-passwords-blocked.html