Employers are ditching their conventional hiring practices for a more convenient and practical way to locate, screen, and hire candidates – through social media. Take a look at which social networks recruiters are utilizing and why social recruiting is important to your career.
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LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are just a few of the social networks that hiring managers are scouring to find qualified candidates – leaving no rock unturned when scanning through each person’s profile. Before you put yourself out there to be discovered by recruiters, let’s take a look at the state of social recruiting and discuss how each social network can potentially land you the job of your dreams.
Using social media for recruiting purposes was once considered a very taboo and unreliable means of finding quality candidates. However, in recent years, employers have discovered that social media has become the most cost-efficient, realistic, and convenient way to recruit employees.
Jobvite recently published a comprehensive infographic that illustrates how vastly popular social recruiting is nowadays. Here is a list of the top social networking sites that hiring managers are utilizing most, according to Jobvite:
- 1. LinkedIn (94 percent)
- 2. Facebook (65 percent)
- 3. Twitter (55 percent)
- 4. Google+ (18 percent)
- 5. YouTube (15 percent)
The Top Three
To no surprise, the original social networking site for professionals, tops the list as the most popular site for recruiting. LinkedIn is, in its simplest form, a one-stop shop for a hiring manager to view your resume, qualifications, educational background, skills, and references, to name a few. Instead of flipping through hundreds (maybe thousands) of paper resumes, recruiters have welcomed the convenience and “searchability” that LinkedIn offers them during the hunt for quality candidates.
What’s important for professionals to remember is that LinkedIn profiles are meant to serve as snapshots of what makes them the best candidates, so having a complete and gleaming profile is crucial. For some tips on sprucing up your profile or how to get your profile noticed on LinkedIn, then take a look here and here.
Facebook isn’t typically considered a “recruiting hub.” However, as Jobvite’s infographic indicates, it’s number two on the list (65 percent) and growing in status amongst hiring managers. As The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) discovered, Facebook was a highly successful tool in attracting students to participate in the Green Dream Internship social media contest to win a chance at “a four month paid summer 2014 position with one of nine leading forest product companies,” according to DigitalJournal.com. David Lindsay, President and CEO of FPAC, explained that, “There is no better way to reach young people than by engaging them through social media. We received a significant number of high caliber applications from students all across the country.” Facebook allows employers to connect with groups of individuals on mass levels, and the new Graph Search feature makes it effortless to find and connect with a specified audience.
In order to keep your personal life private online, read the tips provided here.
Rounding out the top three most popular social recruiting sites is Twitter, the most popular 140-character, micro-blogging social media site around. When Twitter first came on the scene, the social media world shunned it because it seemed pointless. However, we quickly saw that Twitter was a great way to stay up-to-date on breaking news in real-time. In the professional arena, the micro-blogging site gained popularity because it allowed users to follow anyone and everyone their hearts desired – celebrities, influencers, brands, and more. Nowadays, Twitter serves a great service for professionals wanting to connect and engage with leaders in their industries, network with others in their professions, and stay abreast on the latest industry-related news. However, beware because, as helpful as Twitter may be, it can also cost you big time in your career if you’re not careful. Think before you tweet.
For some tips on how professionals can maximize Twitter, check out this post, here.
Social media can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Therefore, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of each profile so that you don’t jeopardize your chances at a promising career ahead.
Tell Us What You Think
How has social media factored into your job search or career? Share your thoughts on Twitter or in the comments section below.
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