re: Racist Candidate by taragl

November 30, 2006 10:38 AM

voting has closed for this question

I am interviewing a candidate for a position in my department, and while googling him (yes, potential employers do google you!) I found some offensive racist comments on a couple of blogs. Not many, but they were in pretty poor taste.

As an interviewer, do you think it's relevant to take those remarks into consideration during the hiring process?

results 54 votes

yep (46 votes)
 85%
nah (8 votes)
 15%
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comments

  • vexed says:

    I'm with Johnny Apocalypse, but I'll take it a step further and say that even if he doesn't deal with the public I'd keep his him and his shit far away. If he endorses that crap and is willing to go on public record with it, how do you know he won't seriously offend colleagues, support staff and clientele?

    Nov 30, 2006 12:08 PM
  • selcaby says:

    Depends what the job is and whether his opinions are likely to produce conflict with colleagues. Sadly though, nasty people still need jobs. If that's your only reason for rejecting him then consider telling him so. You never know, it might make him think.

    Nov 30, 2006 06:50 PM
  • Magpie says:

    Here's my take on it: If you're going to bother Googling potential employees in the first place, then obviously anything damaging you might find is a valid reason to reconsider, or even straight-up nix their chances. And I agree with Vexed. "Private" thoughts aren't private if you put them on the net.

    Dec 01, 2006 02:54 AM
  • inafish says:

    I wouldn't want to work with someone like that, would you?

    Dec 01, 2006 03:56 AM
  • LiniLearns says:

    From a business aspect I agree with JohnnyApocalypse: if you're silly enough to leave comments like that in a public space, you're too silly to work with me. Also keep in mind: his colleagues and clients will be able to Google him too, what they find may give them a negative impression of the company as a whole.

    From a freedom of speech shouldn't affect my employment chances level: I might give them a chance. How old are these comments? Maybe he regrets them but doesn't have the power to erase them.

    Were they posted in places he knew they'd be offensive? If so, then he definitely is not a hiring prospect, as he likely wouldn't care what situation he was in when spouting such idiocy.

    Dec 01, 2006 08:21 AM
  • alex says:

    Make sure it really is him. When I google myself, I don't appear until the second page.

    Dec 01, 2006 01:56 PM
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