According to a study from CareerBuilder.com, 45 percent of employers turned to social media profiles to determine whether or not a job applicant was a suitable hire in 2009. That number is up 23 percent from the previous year.
So, what are they looking for and where? The study delves into the details:
The Where The study found that most employers looked at Facebook (29 percent) – beating out the social media Web site known as a more professional tool, LinkedIn, by 3 percent. (Twenty-one percent used MySpace.)
The What The employers surveyed said they looked for both positive and negative content on the candidates’ profiles. Things they said that helped the candidate included lists of professions and accomplishments that corroborated their resume, a display of good communication skills, and an overall well-rounded picture of the candidate. What deterred managers most from hiring employees included provocative or inappropriate photos of themselves (53 percent), posts about using alcohol or drugs (44 percent), disparaging posts about previous employers, co-workers or clients (35 percent), poor communication skills (29 percent) and lying about qualifications (24 percent).
On the other side of the coin, the survey also showed that several job seekers also used social media to find out more about their potential new employer. So, while using social media as another tool in your hiring process, don’t forget to check up on your company’s own reputation online. Check Yelp and Angie’s List for poor reviews about service or management (such complaints can indicate to a job seeker that there are troubles within the organization), and factor in your company’s culture when adding content to your Facebook Fan Pages and Web sites.
Source:
CareerBuilder.com: More Employers Screening Candidates Via Social Networking Sites
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