Don't let employers violate your privacy

How much are you willing to give to get a job? A chunk of your privacy may seem too much for many of us. However, a recent investigative report by the Associated Press spotted a growing trend in the United States of employers who ask interviewees to reveal their Facebook login information as part of the interview process. Employers who are mostly in law-enforcement or emergency services apparently wanted to make sure that the candidates don't have criminal associations!

Ironically, the legality of this request in itself is questionable. The story caused a stir last week that forced Facebook to issue remarks indicating that the employers who seeks this access are at risk of "unanticipated legal liability."

While some jobseekers told the AP that they rejected the request and the job, others — badly in a need of employment — reluctantly provided the information. This is sadly yet another reflection of how desperate one can be to get a job regardless of the price — which, in this situation, is paid upfront by accepting an obvious breach of privacy.

As outrageous as this practice may seem for most of us, a person who is under pressure to please during the interview may miss its implications. Here are a few points to keep in mind when it comes to questions or actions that violate your personal information or privacy in a job interview:

Draw the line

Every country has its own established ways to conduct background checks legally. This can be by requesting criminal records or just by checking professional and/or personal references — or both. Certain positions may require medical tests, including screening for narcotics. Any information that is requested beyond what is required by law should raise a red flag about the prospective employer's practices.

Is it a trick?

If I put myself in the shoes of the job applicants who were asked for their Facebook login information, I'd at first think it was some sort of trick. My best guess would be that the interviewer is testing my integrity and how far I can compromise for the sake of the job. The best course of action, therefore, would be to demonstrate how I'd keep my priorities straight, even under pressure and reject the request right away. While for many people this unfortunately wasn't a trick, job seekers should be mindful of quirky interview questions and requests that might be just testing for their responses and values.

Matter of principle

How much is exposed by peeking into your private life is not really the matter. The request in itself is a violation of privacy — that is unacceptable. If you don't feel violated by the request because you're not active on Facebook, for example, or there is nothing there to be ashamed of, think of the following scenario: How would you feel if a hiring manager asks to see the contents of your wallet, a visit to your home or a meeting with one of your family members as part of the hiring process?

Sign of trouble

A job interview is an opportunity for both sides — the hiring manager on behalf of the company and the jobseeker — to decide whether they make a good match or not. Whenever one party fails to demonstrate respect for the other, the conclusion is clear. An employer who easily violates your privacy doesn't offer a promising opportunity. While an immediate need for a job is justified, accepting this kind of abuse endorses a borderline illegal practice. My advice is to say no to the request, turn down the job, and perhaps report the employer to the supervisory authorities.

Similar situations

The Facebook matter is the headline-making story at the moment. There are many similar questions and situations that might put a jobseeker in an uncomfortable position and can be illegitimate as well. For example, an equal-opportunity employer must not be questioning a candidate's race, religion, family status, children, etc. The bottom line, follow your instinct, if the question doesn't seem to belong in a job interview, that is because it probably doesn't.

Rania Oteify, a former Business Features Editor with Gulf News, is currently a journalist based in Seattle.