Cybervetting in small college hiring: a qualitative case study of small Northeastern liberal arts college hiring practices and policies.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20318779

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study explores how cybervetting is being utilized in small liberal arts colleges in the northeast U.S. to recruit new employees. Cybervetting is increasingly utilized to screen candidates for employment. Successful cybervetting can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and reduce negligent hiring. Poorly implemented cybervetting can increase the risk of discrimination by exposing hiring managers to information that may lead to unconscious determinations based upon race, sex, national origin, age, gender, and religion. This study interviewed HR directors from 12 liberal arts colleges and found that cybervetting was on all 12 campuses. However, only one of these campuses had clear policies or consistent approaches related to cybervetting, which exposes them to unintended risks. Based on the findings of this study, a list of best practice options is provided to help guide the management of cybervetting as a recruitment option. Key words: cybervetting, discrimination statutes, employee recruitment, search engines, social media, social networking