Social Recruitment Faces a Big Challenge

If you use Facebook, Google or any type of social recruitment to target applicants for jobs, you need to be aware that there’s a storm of discrimination claims brewing.

Giant companies such as T-mobile and Amazon, as well as Facebook, are being targeted for discrimination in a potential class action lawsuit. The Communications Workers Union has lodged this claim on behalf of their older members, according to Bloomberg.  

Not only does Facebook allow you to target by age and gender, but the union alleges that Facebook disproportionally directs ads to younger workers meaning that older workers are often excluded from job opportunities.

Social recruitment gains traction but with challenges

Social recruitment has picked up steam in the past five years, but it’s buyer beware when it comes to its use.  The benefits of being able to target recipients of your ads means that you’re also opening up the doors for possibly being seen as being discriminatory.

With both Facebook and Google joining the jobs race, as an HR professional you’ll need to be mindful of the possible challenges of specific targeting.

If other unions in the US jump on board this possible class action there could be a plethora of companies that desert social as a channel. 

Watch this space – we’ll keep you posted.

You can access more information about the potential class action here. 

And if you’re interested in a whole suit of recruitment marketing tools, let us know.  JobGetter’s are second to none.