Comprehensive media checks: Spotting red flags in prospective employees

The case of Rafael Alun Trisambodo, an official from the Directorate General of Taxes in Indonesia who was involved in an allegation of corruption after his family flexed their lavish lifestyle on social media, prompted the public to massively scrutinize the social media accounts of other officials.

This phenomenon can be a lesson for businesses that a media check, including checks through social media, can be used to investigate the backgrounds of potential employees.

In the digital era, social media is a reflection of one’s reputation. By looking through the media, we can find information related to comments and uploads, hobbies, friendship communities, and even ideology.

From ‘toxic’ to gambling-related content

Candidates with poor digital records are common. This not only damages their own reputation but also has the potential to damage the reputation of the company that will recruit them.

In one case, the results of a comprehensive media check uncovered that a candidate had shared a video of someone naked on his social media account. By intentionally posting such unethical content, this prospective employee severely damaged his own reputation.

In another case, the candidate had a personal blog that was linked to online gambling — filled with casino playing strategies, information about soccer agent sites for betting, and poker gambling.

Further verification

Red flags discovered during media searches often necessitate additional measures, particularly when a candidate’s name appears on a court website in connection with criminal cases.

There is a fairly long list of existing challenges to ensure that the name listed on the site is the individual in question. It is difficult to say for certain in some instances, for example when a candidate’s name is overly popular or has only one syllable. As a result, documents and other additional information must be checked for identification and further verification. In fact, it is not uncommon for field visits to courts to be required for further identification.

Track records and behavioral tendencies are very important indicators for companies in assessing and considering the eligibility of candidates to be recruited. Important information like this, of course, companies cannot get only from CVs and interviews.

Effective mitigation of reputational risk is crucial for organizations. By implementing a risk mitigation strategy that includes thorough media checks, companies can safeguard their assets, promote workplace safety, and preempt potential losses stemming from viral scandals.

However, conducting a comprehensive media check requires time and special expertise. Integrity Asia can help organizations carry out comprehensive media checks to ensure that applicants meet the requirements to work in your company.

Putri

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