Potential employer asked to FB friend me as a term of employment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed today for a 2x per month position. The mother right off the bat asked me if I would be willing to friend her on FB so she could "get an idea of who I am." I declined and told her that I'd be happy to provide her with a copy of my current, spotless background check, my clean driving record and countless glowing references. I have nothing to hide, I just don't want to blur the line between my professional and private life. Also, I don't need the job. I was just doing it for some extra cash. Is this a thing? It's the first time I've ever (in 10 years of professional nannying) been asked this.

Your babysitting. When you are looking to let someone into your home 2 times a month to watch your kids I would want to do all I can also to make sure you are a god person, and checking FB would be a good start since most of the 20 something out there put some crazy stuff on FB.

Oh, and the smart thing for a "20 something" woman to do, is to add a complete stranger as a friend on FB? She likely knows even less about you than you do her, but you want to snoop through her personal life.

I wouldn't even ask.

If you REALLY must have a look, do a search. Some people still don't lock their page down very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed today for a 2x per month position. The mother right off the bat asked me if I would be willing to friend her on FB so she could "get an idea of who I am." I declined and told her that I'd be happy to provide her with a copy of my current, spotless background check, my clean driving record and countless glowing references. I have nothing to hide, I just don't want to blur the line between my professional and private life. Also, I don't need the job. I was just doing it for some extra cash. Is this a thing? It's the first time I've ever (in 10 years of professional nannying) been asked this.

Your babysitting. When you are looking to let someone into your home 2 times a month to watch your kids I would want to do all I can also to make sure you are a god person, and checking FB would be a good start since most of the 20 something out there put some crazy stuff on FB.

"You're babysitting" not "your babysitting", you God-fearing Idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed today for a 2x per month position. The mother right off the bat asked me if I would be willing to friend her on FB so she could "get an idea of who I am." I declined and told her that I'd be happy to provide her with a copy of my current, spotless background check, my clean driving record and countless glowing references. I have nothing to hide, I just don't want to blur the line between my professional and private life. Also, I don't need the job. I was just doing it for some extra cash. Is this a thing? It's the first time I've ever (in 10 years of professional nannying) been asked this.

Your babysitting. When you are looking to let someone into your home 2 times a month to watch your kids I would want to do all I can also to make sure you are a god person, and checking FB would be a good start since most of the 20 something out there put some crazy stuff on FB.

"You're babysitting" not "your babysitting", you God-fearing Idiot.

PP maybe meant "good" person..?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed today for a 2x per month position. The mother right off the bat asked me if I would be willing to friend her on FB so she could "get an idea of who I am." I declined and told her that I'd be happy to provide her with a copy of my current, spotless background check, my clean driving record and countless glowing references. I have nothing to hide, I just don't want to blur the line between my professional and private life. Also, I don't need the job. I was just doing it for some extra cash. Is this a thing? It's the first time I've ever (in 10 years of professional nannying) been asked this.

Your babysitting. When you are looking to let someone into your home 2 times a month to watch your kids I would want to do all I can also to make sure you are a god person, and checking FB would be a good start since most of the 20 something out there put some crazy stuff on FB.

"You're babysitting" not "your babysitting", you God-fearing Idiot.

PP maybe meant "good" person..?

Clearly seems that way. PP is just a moron who can't recognize a typo. Their entire counterpoint is pointing out spelling errors.

[Anonymous]

MB here.

Hell, no, and I don't say say this easily. Or rather, I don't speak so strongly easily.

I would never ask a nanny or nanny candidate to friend me on FB. I also would never Google her. It's so easy for incorrect information to be out there and really, I don't care about gossip or online nonsense. I only care about our interaction in person.

I believe absolutely in respecting boundaries and treating any nanny who works with me as I wish to be treated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MB here.

Hell, no, and I don't say say this easily. Or rather, I don't speak so strongly easily.

I would never ask a nanny or nanny candidate to friend me on FB. I also would never Google her. It's so easy for incorrect information to be out there and really, I don't care about gossip or online nonsense. I only care about our interaction in person.

I believe absolutely in respecting boundaries and treating any nanny who works with me as I wish to be treated.

Another MB. I totally disagree with you. I even encourage applicants yo Google us and find us on fb (not friend us) before they come for an interview. I tell them what our jobs are so that they can find the "right" [our names], but I think it's reassuring to see that we're normal people and who we day we are.

I feel that way about them, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MB here.

Hell, no, and I don't say say this easily. Or rather, I don't speak so strongly easily.

I would never ask a nanny or nanny candidate to friend me on FB. I also would never Google her. It's so easy for incorrect information to be out there and really, I don't care about gossip or online nonsense. I only care about our interaction in person.

I believe absolutely in respecting boundaries and treating any nanny who works with me as I wish to be treated.

This is exactly how all these bad nannies keep getting jobs and why we see the same story time and time again with MB whining because their nanny is lazy, unreliable, and makes bad decisions. If you had googled her and looked at her facebook you would seen that she is a chronic partier and borderline alcoholic on the weekends who would likely show up hungover on Monday if she shows up at all and has a life filled with drama and medical issues and a revolving door of boyfriend she will likely subject your children too.

But good for you for valuing nannies privacy over your childs safety!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MB here.

Hell, no, and I don't say say this easily. Or rather, I don't speak so strongly easily.

I would never ask a nanny or nanny candidate to friend me on FB. I also would never Google her. It's so easy for incorrect information to be out there and really, I don't care about gossip or online nonsense. I only care about our interaction in person.

I believe absolutely in respecting boundaries and treating any nanny who works with me as I wish to be treated.

This is exactly how all these bad nannies keep getting jobs and why we see the same story time and time again with MB whining because their nanny is lazy, unreliable, and makes bad decisions. If you had googled her and looked at her facebook you would seen that she is a chronic partier and borderline alcoholic on the weekends who would likely show up hungover on Monday if she shows up at all and has a life filled with drama and medical issues and a revolving door of boyfriend she will likely subject your children too.

But good for you for valuing nannies privacy over your childs safety!

+1. It's a job. You'd check this stuff out for your admin at work, and you'd tell your own children to mind what they put out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MB here.

Hell, no, and I don't say say this easily. Or rather, I don't speak so strongly easily.

I would never ask a nanny or nanny candidate to friend me on FB. I also would never Google her. It's so easy for incorrect information to be out there and really, I don't care about gossip or online nonsense. I only care about our interaction in person.

I believe absolutely in respecting boundaries and treating any nanny who works with me as I wish to be treated.

This is exactly how all these bad nannies keep getting jobs and why we see the same story time and time again with MB whining because their nanny is lazy, unreliable, and makes bad decisions. If you had googled her and looked at her facebook you would seen that she is a chronic partier and borderline alcoholic on the weekends who would likely show up hungover on Monday if she shows up at all and has a life filled with drama and medical issues and a revolving door of boyfriend she will likely subject your children too.

But good for you for valuing nannies privacy over your childs safety!

+1. The do this at "regular" office jobs nowadays.... why not with your most precious children!!??? I'm a MB and I totally would if it was a young 20-something. For an older nanny, likely not.

+1. It's a job. You'd check this stuff out for your admin at work, and you'd tell your own children to mind what they put out there.

[Anonymous]

People could look for mine, they won't find much. Whatever you find for a profile that's locked right down. (I have an ex husband who I would rather has no idea where I am)

I don't add anyone I don't know personally, and that would include a potential employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People could look for mine, they won't find much. Whatever you find for a profile that's locked right down. (I have an ex husband who I would rather has no idea where I am)

I don't add anyone I don't know personally, and that would include a potential employer.

Well, one thing I like to see is that you actually exist, under the name you gave me. And, obviously, if you don't have FB, I can't check that. I also would look before you came, not after.

[Anonymous]

If you feel like someone might be lying about their identity, you have no business entrusting your child to them. Please stop being THAT stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you feel like someone might be lying about their identity, you have no business entrusting your child to them. Please stop being THAT stupid.

How would I know? Just like, how do you know? Most people won't give you their references in advance. All I have is a name. Most people are on the up and up, but like the old "city services" scam, setting up a fabulous nanny profile would seem to be an easy way to get into people's homes to case them.

[Anonymous]

I only add people I personally know and even so not just anyone, so I would never add a potential employer, or a very recent employer. I'm now Facebook friends with several old employers with whom we've become friends though.

But I do always google and Facebook search the people who I'm interviewing with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you feel like someone might be lying about their identity, you have no business entrusting your child to them. Please stop being THAT stupid.

How would I know? Just like, how do you know? Most people won't give you their references in advance. All I have is a name. Most people are on the up and up, but like the old "city services" scam, setting up a fabulous nanny profile would seem to be an easy way to get into people's homes to case them.

Except in this case, I offered her an official, notarized government-run background check, my notarized DMV record, my Red Cross CPR certification and an offer of multiple references. I posted a thread on the listserv and several of my clients commented on what a great sitter I am. She saw these and had plenty of ways to verify my identity.