Jobvite Survey Finds Social Recruiting Is On The Rise

by Megan Westemeier on July 19, 2012

Jobvite recently released a survey filled with new information and statistics about social recruiting. And the results are overwhelmingly clear: if you’re looking for a job, social networks are the place to be! 

The amount of recruiters using social media to access and recruit talent is at an all time high. Currently, 92 percent already use or are planning to use social media in their hiring pursuits.

Of the main social networking platforms, LinkedIn is the clear favorite with 93 percent using it for recruiting purposes. Facebook and Twitter lag behind (but have still grown exponentially from the previous years’ findings) with 66 percent and 54 percent, respectively.

Companies have also reported that the outcomes of social recruiting have been positive. In fact, 49 percent found that they had an increased amount of candidates interested in positions when using social recruiting, and 43 percent said the quality of candidates also increased.

But the real question is: do recruiters actually hire people found off social media sites? For the most part, the answer is yes. Seventy-three percent have hired a candidate who they found or were introduced to via social media. What websites garner the most hires?

  • LinkedIn: 89 percent
  • Facebook: 26 percent
  • Twitter: 15 percent

When looking over a candidates social networking profile, several activities left recruiters with negative impressions. Here’s what to avoid:

  • Drug references (78 percent react negatively to this)
  • Sexual posts or tweets (66 percent react negatively)
  • Profanity (61 percent react negatively)
  • Spelling and grammar errors (54 percent react negatively)
  • Alcohol related photos (47 percent react negatively)
Here’s the information from your social profile renders a positive reaction from recruiters:
  • Memberships in professional organizations
  • Volunteering/Charitable donations

And the most uplifting statistic for those on the job hunt? Ninety percent of companies surveyed have positions they will be filling within the next 12 months.

Click here to download the full survey and see the rest of Jobvite‘s findings.

Have you used social networking sites to find a job or recruit candidates for a job? Share your experiences below!

You might also enjoy:

  1. Survey: LinkedIn Still Top Networking Site For Job Seekers, Recruiters
  2. Yes, Employers Are Recruiting Via Social Networks
  3. The State of Social Recruiting
  4. Job Seekers: Get Social Now! [INFOGRAPHIC]
  5. The Benefits Of Being “Super Social”

Tagged as: hiring managers, job search, recruiting, social recruiting

Article by Megan Westemeier

Megan Westemeier graduated magna cum laude from Eastern Illinois University with a B.A. in communication studies (public relations focus) and a minor in advertising in May 2012. She has gained experience in her field by working as a public relations writer, copy editor and by doing non-profit work.

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