Jobs in UAE: Employers check job seekers’ social media accounts before hiring – News

The country also has the highest percentage of Facebook users at over 100%

Social media usage is no longer limited to sharing photos and videos of individuals and friends. With the growing importance and usage of social media, some companies are now also monitoring social media accounts of job candidates to determine characteristics of individuals before hiring them.

The Dubai-based Aries Group of Companies, which operates in 25 countries and employs more than 2,200 people, is one of the major groups looking at employees’ social media profiles before hiring them.

Sir Sohan Roy, founder and chief executive of Aries Group, said they don’t see them as employees, but as family.

“We see all Aries as family members, not employees, so we mold them to be the best they can be. So it’s not easy to get into that admission. There are a lot of filter events when selecting (new hires). We’re not looking for marks . We look at character. There is a huge process that involves checking social media pages etc (before employees accept them). We also make sure all 2,200 staff are properly trained,” Sir Roy said.

The UAE has been named the “Social Media Capital of the World” by proxy and residential VPN service provider Proxyrack. In addition, the UAE also has the highest proportion of Facebook users, exceeding 100%.

Lauren Swan, a recruitment consultant with Cooper Fitch’s banking and financial services team, stresses that it can be important for employees to maintain a professional element on their social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, as sometimes companies may ask employees to share any relevant social information throughout the recruitment process Media materials during security checks in .

Besides LinkedIn, since it’s designed specifically for business networking, sometimes employers can ask employees to share their Twitter/Instagram/Facebook profiles.

“People should be mindful of their social media because in our experience it does get checked throughout the process,” Swan said.

“Social media platforms can provide insight into people’s lives and can be a useful tool to get to know someone better on a more personal level — if they share that content on social platforms,” ​​she said , adding that in a society that does not have many employees, most companies in the UAE scrutinize or even check media platforms during the recruitment process.

“Ultimately, it depends on the person’s professional background, skills, and how they perform during the actual interview process,” concludes Swan.