We already know that many employers utilize social
media when screening a potential candidate for employment. Since some of the
information is public, it’s a great way to get a sense for who someone is and
how they conduct themselves outside of the resume and interview. We also know of
instances where someone has lost their job because of a social media post.
Insurance carriers are now utilizing the same tactics when
considering an applicant for life insurance… That’s right, and it’s becoming
the norm.
MVP had a recent case where the carrier came back with a
follow up question during the underwriting process: “Our research has found on
social media, that this client has a picture posted on Facebook with a cigar in
his mouth. The client answered No to any type of tobacco use. Please provide
full details on his use of cigars. Does he smoke them or chew on them? How
often? When was his last cigar? Full details please.”
In this new age of information, this is an excellent reminder
that if you participate on social media, what you and your friends post could
be public information and can be used against you any time you are being
considered for something (think: potential client or business deal, insurance, job or bank loan applications etc.).
You do have some control over what information is shared publicly
by paying attention to your security settings and pondering whether your post
is truly the message you want to convey about yourself before you post it. You
may think that your social media presence hasn’t been a problem for you, but
how do you really know for sure?
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