Social Media Profiles and Job Recruiters

Social media is a big thing, and the user base continues to grow month after month across multiple platforms. And for years now, job recruiters have been using these various sites as a way to research potential employees. Numerous articles have been written explaining the importance of watching what you have on your social media sites, as well as stories of how content has been used to terminate employees too. So how do recruiters use social media sites these days?

“Two-thirds of UK recruiters have rejected candidates after checking their profiles on social media, according to a survey,” states Angela Haggerty at The Drum, and we can assume the USA has similar statistics. However, she also states that the survey shows that 71% of recruiters have also used social media to hire candidates, showing just how important these sites are for both sides of the issue.

According to Helen Leggatt, this survey revealed that “The most popular social network on which recruitment companies operated is LinkedIn, used by 88% of the 7,000 recruitment firms that took part in Oilandgaspeople.com's survey. A quarter of those firms recruited via Facebook and 8% via Twitter.” So while it makes sense that LinkedIn is still the largest used site for job prospects, other site use is growing also. People are quick to keep their LinkedIn site all clean and professional, but then let their hair down and let loose on Facebook, and that is a bad system to have.

Millennial Branding and StudentAdvisor released data last year that report how most college students understand the idea of social media as a personal connection tool, but that few are taking serious the advantage of professional sites like LinkedIn and Nexxt. "College students are missing out on a very valuable resource by not leveraging LinkedIn. Internship opportunities, and the ability to network alumni or gain incredible insight into a company, are all there, waiting for students to take advantage," said Dean Tsouvalas, Editor-in-Chief, StudentAdvisor.com.

When it comes to those looking for a new job, Forbes reported how the career transition and talent development consulting firm Lee Hecht Harrison asked hundreds of job seekers via an online poll, “How active are you on social networking sites?” Sadly, only 48% said they actively use social media daily. Knowing how more and more recruiters are using social media these days, it is that much more important that job seekers are staying active and professional on there too.

Forbes also reports how CareerBuilder polled employers, asking them why they use social media to research candidates, and 65% reported they do so to see if the candidate presents themselves professionally. About 51% of them are looking to see if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture, and 45% want to learn more about their qualifications. Some of them also reported that they use social media “to look for reasons not to hire the candidate.” Concerning?

So, the fact is, social media is being used more and more in order for recruiters to discover the “real” you – your character and personality. Everything can be nice and tidy on paper and even in person at an interview, but online they get a better impression of the real you that they would be bringing on board. So not only is using social media important if you are in job search mode, but watching how you use it is important too. So, if you are in job search mode – use it, use it frequently, but use it professionally.

Image courtesy of Nikorn at FreeDigitialPhotos.net