Why Hirers Use Social Media to Screen Candidates
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Why Hirers Use Social Media to Screen Candidates
Supervisors in IT are most likely to turn to social media and search engines for research and details that support (or eliminate) whether a candidate is a good fit. -
Stealthy Snooping
60% of employers are using social network sites to research job candidates, up from 52% who reported doing the same last year. -
ISO
59% use search engines to research candidates, up from 51% who said they did this last year. -
MIA
41% said they are less likely to interview candidates if they're unable to find information about that person online, up from 35% last year. -
Tech-Driven
76% of hiring managers in the IT industry use social media to screen candidates—most of any sector. -
Commendable Qualities
60% of employers who use social networking sites to research job candidates are looking for information that supports these applicants' qualifications for the position. -
Playing the Part
53% of these hirers want to see if the candidate has a professional "online persona." -
Word of Mouth
30% are looking to call up what other people are posting about the candidate. -
Instant Elimination
21% admit that they're looking for reasons to not hire the candidate, and 49% said they've found information that caused them to not hire someone. -
Biggest Social Media Job Candidate ‘Turn Offs’
Provocative/inappropriate photos, videos or information: 46%, Indications about the candidate drinking or doing drugs: 43%, Discriminatory comments related to race, religion, gender: 33%, Candidate bad-mouthing of previous/current company or fellow employees: 31%, Poor communications skills: 29% -
What Hirers Like to See From a Candidate on Social Media
Background information that supports job qualifications: 44%, A professional image: 44%, Personality conveying a "good fit" with company culture: 43% -
Watching the Watchers
18% of workers check out hiring managers on social media while job hunting.
A growing number of CIOs and other hiring managers are screening job candidates by checking out their social media pages, according to a recent survey from CareerBuilder. These managers are also using search engines to research prospects—with many indicating that they'll rule out applicants entirely if they couldn't find any information about them online. Supervisors in the IT industry are most likely to turn to social media/search engines for research here, looking for details that supports candidates' fitness for a vacancy as well as a professional online persona. A great deal of survey respondents admit that they've eliminated people from consideration based upon what they've found out about them online. As for the biggest deal-killers? These would include provocative/inappropriate photos and/or videos of the prospective hire, as well as the posting of discriminatory comments and any "bad mouthing" of an employer. "Tools such as Facebook and Twitter enable employers to get a glimpse of who candidates are outside the confines of a resume or cover letter," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer of CareerBuilder. "And with more and more people using social media, it's not unusual to see the usage for recruitment to grow as well." More than 2,185 hiring managers and HR pros, as well as more than 3,030 workers, took part in the research, which was conducted by Harris Poll.
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