Mostly what HR professionals are looking up online is pretty standard information about candidates, like LinkedIn recommendations. Fewer — but still quite a few — are trying to find out more controversial stuff, such as photos or what groups on Facebook a job candidate belongs to.
That’s the upshot of a SHLPreVisor study of more than 460 human resources professionals. The majority (53%) were in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with 39% in the Americas and 8% in Australasia. Here’s a chart showing what’s being searched:
| What Employers Look Up | Currently look at | Plan to |
| Previous work history | 46% | 15% |
| Education | 46% | 14% |
| Recommendations from others (e.g., on LinkedIn) | 33% | 19% |
| Other candidate information (e.g., hobbies, interests) | 24% | 16% |
| Candidate’s stated interests, “Likes”, current activities | 21% | 15% |
| Comments/links posted by candidate | 21% | 15% |
| Group affiliations (e.g., community or religious groups) | 21% | 11% |
| Pictures | 15% | 8% |
| Comments/links posted by candidate’s friend | 10% | 11% |