Social Media and Job Seekers

Social media, every time we turn around there is something going on with social media.  And so many!  However, social media has much more to offer than seeing what your friends are doing 24/7 or seeing the latest and greatest recipe, it can offer employment opportunities.  86% of job seekers have an account on at least one of the six online social networks included with this study; Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. Social job seekers are younger, more highly educated and more likely to be employed full-time.

Here is some information on a few of the more popular social media sites:

Facebook-76% of social job seekers found their current position through Facebook.

LinkedIn-This is where there is the most job seeking activity.  34% shared a job opportunity and 32% made new professional connections. The college educated are also 4x more likely to update their LinkedIn with professional info than those who are high-school educated or less.   

Twitter-This seems to be the most popular social media site to ask others for help and advice.  28% shared job opportunities.

 While job seekers flock to Facebook, recruiters prefer LinkedIn when searching for candidates. Here is a list of the most popular social networks for

Job seekers:

Facebook 83%

Twitter 40%

Google+ 37%

LinkedIn 36%

Recruiters:

LinkedIn 94%

Facebook 65%

Twitter 55%

Google + 18%

While 94% of recruiters are active on LinkedIn, only 36% of job seekers are.  3% of recruiters are likely to look at a candidate’s social profile and 42% have reconsidered a candidate based on content viewed in a social profile, leading to both positive and negative re-assessments.  I myself have done just that.  When I have had people respond to job opportunities via Facebook I check out their Facebook page.  I don’t judge people by what I see on their pages because their profile doesn’t necessarily represent their professionalism but when I have someone want to talk about a job with a lot of responsibility and public exposure and I see almost nothing but selfies in their car, or in the bathroom and have naked people, I tend to move along.  Maybe when they have matured a few years they would have possibilities.  So be careful what you put on your Facebook or at least be careful with your privacy settings so the world doesn’t get to see every meal you have eaten and what you are doing every ½ hour.

Social media can be an amazing tool or it can be our downfall.  It is something we just need to take seriously and be safe.