The truth and LinkedIn - a management issue or not?

Does your job description include monitoring the Internet and Linked In? I am guessing you have also lied about something in your life. Should you be fired?

Leave it alone.

How will your actions improve the performance of your organization?

Unless there is a compelling reason to do anything, move on.

John

Policing other people's morality to ensure that justice is done throughout the world at all times and that all people who do things you disagree with or find to be poor choices are swiftly and severely punished will have the following effects:

* You will look like a stalker
* You yourself are not being effective if you are doing this at work
* I doubt your family would appreciate you taking time away from them at home to spend time playing internet detective
* Your stress levels will increase
* No one will be punished and your actions and opinions will be dashed aside as if they don't matter

I think it is inappropriate for ex-employees who were terminated to contact their old managers to complain about why they were fired or try to argue their way back into their jobs.

It is also inappropriate for managers to contact people they have fired after they are gone to do anything other than ask after their health and ensure they landed on their feet. Even then, your calls are probably not going to have a fully positive effect and be interpreted as well-intentioned.

When you end it with an employee - end it for good.

This is also part of the reason that written recommendations are not taken that seriously. People will exaggerate at times and candidates will only select the people who will say great things about them.

[quote="US41"]Policing other people's morality to ensure that justice is done throughout the world ....[/quote]

Policing my own morality is difficult enough. I don't think I want the job of trying to police the world's. 8)

If this person lands an interview as a result of an exaggerated recommendation, then the proof should come out in that interview. The candidate will most likely not perform to the expectations of the interviewer, and it will end there.

BJ

If this bothers you, consider whether there are people at your old jobs who might have problems with things as they're written on your own resume.

I believe we are basically honest people, but we see things from different viewpoints and draw different conclusions about them. Allow that someone else sees it different and don't let it distract you from your job.

You might also consider that the manager who wrote the review believed it or maybe they like this person and didn't want to fire this, so this is their way of making up for it. There are a thousand reason. Worrying about any of them make you less effective doing your job.

Brian

Does this inaccurate recommendation put you company in jeopardy (e.g. if they wrote it in their role as a manager and another company hires this person on the basis of that recommendation could your company be held liable for the action oif the manager writing an inaccurate reference)? If the answer isn't a resounding "YES!!" then it's none of your business. If the answer is "YES!!" then the response is to talk to your direct who wrote the recommendation and give them some feedback along the lines of:

You: Hey, can I give you some feedback?
Them: Sure.
You: The recommendation you wrote for (insert sacked former employees name) on LinkedIn has been brought to my attention because it's inaccurate. I looked at it and you didn't mention (list negatives that got missed out). When you write inaccurate references it places the company at risk of (talk about the sort of jeopardy they have put the company in) and makes me think that you're maybe not ready for responsibility/fitting in/a team player/following the rules (adjust for DISC type). What could you do differently?
Them: Um, I guess I could change the recommendation to a more accurate one.
You: Cool, thanks.

That sends the message that you're not worried about what they've done, you're concerned about the implications for the employer. The job of a manager is to do whatever is best for the employer.

Stephen

Lying on Linkedin seems quite a common thing. I recently connected to an ex-colleague who was in an analyst role whereas their linkedin profile shows them in a management position. Also where people have performed two roles whilst working for me and blended them into one more desirable role, therefore exaggerating particular skills or experience.

 
Detailed references are not checked by new employers, our company will only give out the dates that someone worked for us and whether they had good attendance or maybe they're not that bothered?