I'm on a hiring committee for a new legal assistant. I looked an applicant ("A") up on Facebook just out of curiosity and saw a LOT of very public posts about A's strongly held views that are fairly intolerant/ignorant. We're a VERY small office and we deal with clients who may fall into demographics that A may "disagree" with. I feel like some of the posts alone may be disqualifying but how should I approach the topic in the interview (2nd interview), if at all? I just can't imagine (cont.)

likesmart
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at
Highlighted IconHIGHLIGHTED

Rather than addressing in the interview, address it with the committee including your reservations about working with someone who expresses these views but also apparently lacks the judgment to sensor publicly available social media. That's a bigger issue frankly. I don't care about someone's political views but I need everyone I work with to consider how their public expressions could affect the firm.

likesmart

Yeah, it's not just that A has these views it's that they posted them publicly in the first place. And I feel like now the cat's essentially out of the bag and simply telling A to button up their social media presence wouldn't address the issue of cultural fit within the firm or the risk that clients might sense some internal eye-rolling on A's part during an intake.

like

Nope nope nope. Who would willingly work with a person who's intolerant or ignorant and is oh so proud of that

like
Recent IconRecent

I would screen her out based on using poor judgment in her posts. No upside to ignoring what you legitimately know about her.

like

I would do it before the interviews. They may choose to cancel the interview.

like

UPDATE: talked to the partners and showed them the posts. They were as turned off by everything as I was and are not going to hire A. They said the fact that the posts were so public showed poor judgment on A's part, and felt like some of the posts were just very at odds with their values. Rather than canceling the interview last minute, we're still interviewing A tomorrow but they're just going to say it's not going to be a good fit. Unclear if they'll bring up basic social media decorum with A just as a professional courtesy.

like

Good outcome. Thanks for sharing the update. You handled this situation very well.

like

Be careful! You can’t always tell if the person on FB is the same person you’re hiring, and some jurisdictions have rules about this.

like

It's 100% the same person. Do you know which jurisdictions have rules against simply looking up a prospective hire on social media? I didn't attempt to friend request A or ask for their social media credentials specifically so that I could look them up or anything.

I would cancel the interview if it were me. I expect people to have more common sense if they are going to represent a company/firm. At least have a private profile. If you want to be outspoken, cool, start your own business or find a job that fits your views. This goes for either side from full on MAGA to an Antifa supporter. I keep my social media private and even then assume every interview i go to at least tried to search my socials to see what I’m all about. I’m not very political to begin with but i will post the occasional meme or gif if it makes me laugh. I frankly would never want my colleagues to know who i vote for or where i stand on issues. To me, that’s too personal for the workplace. These aren’t my friends. Sometimes it’s easier said than done...

like

(Cont.) that someone who has been so public about these views so recently would truly be capable in not letting these views inform how they deal with people. And frankly, now that I know how A really feels about these subjects, I don't know that I'll really be comfortable working with them myself.

smart

A3 agreed, that was super jarring to read. Much of the country loved and mourned this woman; totally understand not agreeing with her views but very very strange to talk about celebrating someone’s passing especially one that caused widespread sadness. I have friends who are still grieving.

like

Someone’s personally held beliefs are not always indicative of how they behave at work. I deal with people I disagree with all day. It’s called professionalism.

I would say that the way you posted this shows that you might be intolerant of A’s beliefs. To be fair to the process, you may need to extract yourself from the committee if you’re going to let A’s personal views expressed outside of work impact your thoughts about how the person will do the job.

like

Managing Attorney 1:

The condescension in your posts is intolerable, and a huge reason why there can be such a huge turnover in firms.

To OP: I think certain Facebook posts are entirely fair to raise with a hiring committee; I ALWAYS vet the social media of potential hires as it can help indicate how responsible an individual may be. While I would never exclude an individual from consideration simply for support of a particular candidate or party, I think there are certain posts that would lead me to exclude a candidate. For example if they’re choosing to attack a particular group through their posts or aren’t showing proper decorum. While social media isn’t work material, IT IS how an individual chooses to conduct themselves in a public setting albeit virtual.

like

I don't think I'm the only one who'd like to know some specific examples of these "fairly intolerant/ignorant" posts.

You never know how many degrees of separation there are in a forum like this so I don't want to get too specific but I will say the most egregious posts had what I'll call "spicy" takes on racism, abortion, and women's rights in general and went beyond simple declarations of personal opinion.

likesmart

Related Posts

Interviewer is being recruited for high level remote position, but when joining a panel interview, the candidate does not cut on the camera. Big red flag as scamming for jobs since remote culture grew is becoming a big trend

like

I have an offer for Consultant Specialist GCB5. Not sure what the role is..is it a team lead role or is it a junior role? I have 10 yoe .. is it apt? Pls help Thanks

Hello fellow EMBA 🐠

Was invited for a phone interview after resume screen with Sloan. They stated that my resume was "impressive" and that I may be a good fit. Cont...

like

Hi All- I’d love to hear from the community what the focus areas are for Tier 2 firms in the region Are there certain sectors the various firms specialize/ focus on? It seems like everyone focuses on public sector and tmt. Currently interviewing at a few and would be great to get some feedback. Thanks!

like

Anyone know firms hiring for Litigation Paralegal either in CA or Miami-Fort Lauderdale FL?? How do you like it? Remote, in person or hybrid?

like

Hi , I am interviewing for System Database Administrator- Oracle at Kyndryl location Brno Czech Republic. I have 7 yoe. What yearly salary should I ask for?

like

Hi People! I need a referral in Eli Lilly.

Currently in ZS as DAA! Almost 2 YOE but total work ex 2.5 yr.

I have a weird question

I have given interviews in
JPMorgan Chase for developer role and got the offer which is gud but interviews were not as tough as one might have expected from a reputed firm like jpmc.

Had 1 tech,1 tech-Manager round , Hire view test which was quite easy and an hr round.
Am a little worried about the standard of project and the team. I have offer from CIB Payments team. Checked with hiring manager and he said d role is for developer. Just worried abt quality of work

like

Is Integration Engineer position at Zoom worth joining coming from Software Engineer position?

like

I’m a newer registered nurse (2 years) and want to get into remote work. I keep getting denied due to lack of experience but to even get the job I have now (case manager) the company knew one of my family members and they gave me a chance to interview because of that. For these remote companies where I don’t have connections how can I transition over?

likehelpful

Can any fish out here help me with a referral at Facebook?

like

Got an offer for SE III at a large tech company. Product I'd be working on interests me and I think I could grow more than in my current role.

Currently I make 180k base and have ISO/RSUs @ startup (60k/yr worth on paper, but won't be worth anything for a few years, if at all).

The offer is:
Base: $166,500
Target Bonus: 10% ($16,650)
RSU: 120k total (30k/yr)

Thoughts on offer? Should I counter?

Additionally there's a yearly target RSU bonus about equal to the cash bonus. Thoughts? 4.5 YOE

like

Need referral to Bank of America. Please can someone working at BOA refer my profile, I will share the job ID and resume. Thank you in advance.

Post Photo
like

BCG is opening an office here. Who else is next? 👀

like

Do you think you have to be an extrovert to succeed as a tech recruiter?

like

Please what’s the salary for Assistant Manager in Deloitte Financial Advisory role ?

like

Graduating with my finance degree in about a year. I took a part-time healthcare position fill my employment gap but most of my previous experience is in manufacturing logistics and customer service. With my background, how do I break into a finance or accounting role? What positions do I apply for? I would like to make at least 45-50k a year min starting if possible.

like

International tax senior associate- Deloitte

I have an interview with Deloitte next week for senior associate Internacional tax in California. How much salary I should expect? I am sure this question will come up and I don't want to underbelly myself. Currently I am a senior at other Big4.

like

Hi Friends, I had HR discussion on last week Wednesday, primarily on salary part for GCB5 in HSBC. HR told that they will update in this week, but I am yet to hear back from them. Usually how much time do the HR takes to update. TIA

like

More Posts

I cried at my desk for the first time today. Year 3. I’m tired.

like

Tips on writing marketing company that sounds organic and punchy?

like

𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 (𝐛𝐲 𝗺𝐚𝐣𝗼𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲) 𝐭𝗼 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐠𝗼 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝗼𝐝𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝗺𝐚𝐧. 𝐃𝗼 𝐲𝗼𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝗼𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝗼𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐭?

Anyone have a reading recommendation for navigating office politics, especially “managing up” ? I’m reading Influence without Authority and it’s starting off very well and I think I want to explore the concept more deeply.

like

Do you have a reading goal for 2022? I've read 3 books already this year and want to try to finish 60 before the end of the year.

like

Got this little gem as part of a bundle for my classroom. Absolutely delightful! Set in 1946 in Chicago, Cline-Ransome does a magical job of describing how a young boy struggles with death, moving, bullying, and learning of his own heritage. I can’t wait to share this with my students!

Post Photo
like

Thoughts on FUBO technicals? MACD may be signaling a bullish trend

like

Hi guys,
What's the annual hike at band 601 in CB LOB. How much time it takes to get promoted to next level 602. How much will be the annual bonus at 601 level & percentage hike we will get at the time of promotion.

like

How much variable does EY India generally pay, if 20% variable is mentioned by them while giving offer letter.

like
like

Koi batayega ye sensex ko kya ho rha hai? Paisa dalne k liye wait kar rha tha socha aur neeche jayega..aur upar ja rha hai.

funny

I’m planning to buy the study materials for the SHRM-CP certificate through Amazon. What are the best ones to obtain?

likehelpful

Recruiter reached out to me saying they wanted to setup a call to give me an update post my round 1 interview. What are the odds of a reject?

like

I am working on a citi project from last year, project is not so good. Is it possible to change the project or account within synechron ?

Anyone use Hubly and know what it costs?

like

I’m referencing a cell (numeric) to a text cell. Is there a way to format that number to include commas? See example in comments.

FFS, can we be done with summer already.

like

My application for an M&A spot at Deloitte was rejected in under 48 hrs!

likefunny

How is the market for Oracle HCM (Absences and Time and Labor) Consultants in Toronto.

like

What is the general consensus for dress formality at Google? Are they generally more casual, business casual, or formal, etc?

I personally love wearing suits but looking to see if wearing a suit to a meeting is now considered taboo.

likefunny

Additional Posts in Law

How big is your firm and what does your attorney retreat look like?

likefunny

How do you spend your precious unwinding time after work? I love binge watching tv shows but realize it’s probably not the healthiest way to wind after a stressful day. Anything fun / low stress yall do?

Note; working out is not a relaxing activity for me so don’t even start with that. Also I am single and have no kids so ..

like

Best approaches to get my partners to help with my push to partnership? Appraisal meeting coming up soon.

like

First year associates:
How much is your salary?
City, firm size and practice area too.

80k. Chicago. Small (7 attorneys) insurance defense firm.

likesmart

What’s your firm’s paternity leave policy for male associates? At Midwest AM-200 firm and just learned 4 weeks paid. New moms get disability (70%) for 6 weeks and 4 weeks paid. Seem low for 2019...

likehelpful

Anyone here work in-house and sit in an open office environment? I sit next to accounts receivable and some marketing folks and can’t focus even with earplugs in. Any advice would help.

like

Serious question on what vacation means in the BigLaw world

like

Mental and physical health check: how's everyone doing? I'm not doing well. Depression and anxiety have set in. I have no idea how I am going to survive this.

likesmart

BigLaw M&A: what do you consider to be “big deal” vs a small and medium deal? For example, what do you consider a $150M deal?

like

Does anyone here suffer from bipolar disorder? How do you manage it and working in law? I see a therapist, and a psychiatrist, and am on medication, but I still have days where I wake up and I’m so depressed I can’t move. I’m working on remedying this with my doctors, but how does one approach mental health issues with their employer? I never felt the need to until I realized how much being bipolar can affect my ability to work.

like

What is the best big law firm in LA for white collar defense?

Does anyone know the starting salary for Jackson Lewis in the firm's Connecticut office, as well as the billable hours requirement?

like

Opinions regarding the transition from a legal non-profit to a private law firm?

like

Want to negotiate salary at an AMLAW200 firm in atlanta. Not a lot of public information about what peer firms (ie, not NY lockstep firms matching cravath scale) pay. What are mid-senior level associates making in Atlanta?

like

An actual Attorney's work history on LinkedIn....
I feel this in my soul.

Post Photo
likefunnyupliftinghelpful

Not law quite law related but I could use some input: anyone have any luck negotiating lease pricing with a corporate landlord? I originally signed and got covid pricing and now they want to hit me with a 17% increase bc of inflation 🙃

like

Pro tip I wish I received: when lateraling back up your phone before leaving so you don’t lose it’s contents when your previous firm remote-factory resets the device.

likehelpfulfunny

Looking for opinions on Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester in Southern California.

like

So I was a 5th year associate in nyc making 100 k a year 2k billable hours.. I decided to leave for the role Im in now.. my old countered to keep me at 115k (which was like pulling teeth for them) but I left anyways now I find out that they offered a 7th year 150 k and a partner title should I be offended that they didn’t even try more with me

like

Any advise for wrist pinch pain? (Not looking for the surgery route). I also have an ergonomic keyboard.

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal