Use of LinkedIn CV deemed “inappropriate use of social media” as man forced out
A human resources manager was forced out of his job after uploading his CV on LinkedIn. Apparently this was deemed an “inappropriate use of social media” by his employer.
John Flexman, 34, says he hacked off his bosses after he clicked one of the standard boxes on LinkedIn to say he was interested in other “career opportunities”. Considering that LinkedIn is a very useful glorified CV membership alone enough should be enough to get us all the boot, no?
Flexman is being put through a tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, in a battle with his employer gas exploration firm, BG Group, where he was head of recruitment
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph after uploading his CV and ticking the box, he was contacted by his manager while on holiday in the US and was told to remove the CV and that he faced an internal disciplinary hearing over the matter when he returned to work.
In his defence he claims that he was not the only person to tick the “career 
opportunities” box and that 21 others did likewise and were not disciplined. Only 21? I thought everyone on LinkedIn has ticked that box. I’ll have to check now if I have as who wouldn’t be looking for career opportunities? It doesn’t mean you are looking for a job. It isn’t the same thing at all, I would have said.
The threat of disciplinary action led to Flexman quitting his job in June after being told he could be sacked when a list of charges were handed to him. That really does sound like drumming someone out of the company on some rather spurious charges. At least that’s what it reads like.
“Mr Flexman, a married father of a two-year-old daughter, said: “In his email Mr [Antony] Seigel [Mr Flexman's manager] said that a complaint had been made about my LinkedIn profile and that I was required to remove it immediately.
“He told me to remove from my profile all information regarding BG Group except for job titles and dates. I did not think this was reasonable.
“It seemed to me that the focus of the charge sheet was the posting of my CV online,” the Telegraph reports.
I can’t believe that the case against Flexman was brought solely on the basis of LinkedIn.
Excessive use of social networks and openly applying for jobs might well be good cause for disciplinary action, but ticking boxes as LinkedIn suggests you might like to do on occasion is perfectly normal social media activity.
For any business professional today not using LinkedIn would be abnormal activity that or the mark of a professional abstainer. Like those social media experts who barely use Twitter or other social tools.
All Comments
I really feel for John – I would have thought that being on linked in would be a requirement for an HR professional – and we all tick the ‘interested in new opportunities’ box without thinking about it. In my opinion he should not have been required to do anything apart from untick that box. Good luck john!
I really feel for John – I would have thought that being on linked in would be a requirement for an HR professional – and we all tick the ‘interested in new opportunities’ box without thinking about it. In my opinion he should not have been required to do anything apart from untick that box.
Good luck john!
As long as he wasn’t derogatory about the company or using the site on company time, what right do they have to stipulate how an employee can use LinkedIn? Didn’t footballers use the Treaty of Rome to overturn transfer fees on the basis that it was a restriction of trade? Isn’t saying that you can’t list yourself as looking for opportunities likewise a restriction on your ability to make a living?
Pathetic behaviour by employer. Possibly a few of their employees have now been prompted to tick that box in an ‘I’m Spartacus’-style outpouring of support? Amusing irony, however, in the fact that he IS an HR Manager though. Sorry. (*walks away unsure as to what the reaction will be*).
Clearly an establishment clued up on social media usage. Ticking that box is a great way to network, make contacts, see market value as well.
What narrow minded oafs this chap’s employers are. Pathetic indeed. Good luck to you Mr Flexman!
Sounds like they did him a favour and he is better off out of a company that behaves in such a way. I sincerely hope he wins his case.
Who doesn’t have the ‘career opportunities’ part checked in LinkedIn?
The employer probably had some other issues with the worker.
Sounds to me as though LinkedIn was just a peg to hang their desire to chuck him out on. As someone else mentioned, really it’d be more appropriate to sack an HR person for NOT being active on LinkedIn!
[...] Use of LinkedIn CV deemed “inappropriate use of social media” as man forced out. Se pare că poți fi concediat doar pentru că ți-ai urcat CV-ul pe LinkedIn. [...]