The pros and cons of using social media in the recruiting process the social media explosion that has erupted over recent years has given recruiters more tools to use in the hiring process. The ethics of using social media in hiring decisions. Oct 24, 2011 we all know recruiters use social media to screen candidates on a daily basis. Over the past decade, employers have commonly used social media, including linkedin, facebook, twitter, instagram, and youtube, to gather information about prospective employees as part of their hiring process. How social media can help or hurt you in your job search. Employers are increasingly looking to job candidates social media. Chances are, you have since 70% of employers glance at applicants profiles before considering them for a role. Here are some benefits of using social media in your recruiting efforts. Companies and organizations looking to hire applicants have seen an increasing value in utilizing social media to check the background of individuals. If youre not already using social media for recruitment, heres a push to get on board. How employers use social media to screen applicants. Ranting about your current job or coworkers because you think youre just among friends. Jan 03, 2018 should employers look at social media when hiring.
According to career builder, 33 percent of employers that used social media to research a candidate reported that they found content that made them more likely to hire the employee. Aug 10, 2018 in 2006, just 12 percent of hiring managers were using social media accounts as a screening tool. Besides being less expensive, it expands your reach to a massive database of potential job seekers who are on the lookout for a career and job. Current usage of social media in hiring practices because social media sites have been growing more and more popular, employers are taking advantage and using these sites in their hiring processes. Dec 02, 2014 the first step toward using social media to effectively recruit.
A 2017 careerbuilder survey found that 70% of employers now use social media to screen potential hires. Seventy percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates on par with last year, while seven percent plan to start. It is not just hard for job seekers to reach out to employers but also vice versa. Consequently, using tools, like social media, that have this kind of information readily available is risky business. Thus far, the practice of social media screening and background checks by employers is minimal. The dos and donts of social media screening in the hiring process. Weve collated our top 8 social media statistics you need to know if youre in recruitment or talent acquisition. Facebook has over 1 billion active users and linkedin follows with over 283 million users. Employers may use social media either to recruit candidates by advertising job openings and targeting certain applicants, or to perform. Pdf employer liability for using social media in hiring decisions. A new survey found that 60 per cent of employers check a persons social media background before hiring. Dec 17, 2018 thus far, the practice of social media screening and background checks by employers is minimal. Employers can use social media in two ways when hiring.
Legal and ethical considerations for social media hiring. The disadvantages of using social media for recruitment. According to 2015 jobvite recruiter nation survey, as much of 92 percent recruiters are using social media. In addition, be aware that different social media platforms can fill different hiring needs. The good folks down at reppler recently conducted a survey of 300 professionals who are involved in the hiring process at their company to understand the. People use facebook, twitter, or instagram for personal interests, not job hunting.
However, the percentage of employers checking online information is expected to grow as using online social media becomes further entrenched in the fabric of social networking and job searching. To the extent that employers conduct a social media background check, it is better to have either a third party or a designated person within the company who does not make hiring decisions do the check, and only use publicly available information, not requesting passwords for social media accounts. Social media is a way to get a first impression on people, without actually meeting them first. Nov, 2018 social media screening is no longer a taboo and has long become a standard part of the screening process when hiring new employees. We all know recruiters use social media to screen candidates on a daily basis. Sometimes social media can be an employees best advocate.
The results of this survey are shown in this infographic below. If youre not currently using social media in your hiring process, youre in the minority. One cannot combine the professional aspect and the personal aspect of the candidate. Review and audit your own social media presence when it comes to using social media to research, remember, it goes both ways. Using social media for recruiting, screening, and background. Its now a vital channel for sourcing candidates and promoting company culture.
Below are 17 social media recruiting statistics and stats on how. In fact, 92% of companies are using social media for hiringand were not only talking about linkedin. For more information regarding this alert, please contact nancy conrad at 610. Social media is the best way to find and connect with passive candidates. By 2010 that figure had grown to 25 percent and now stands at 70 percent. It has become commonplace for employers to conduct an online search or to look at available social media profiles of prospective employees. Can employers use social media in making hiring decisions. In fact, 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and about 43 percent of employers use social media to check on current employees, according to a. You knew social media was important for the job search, but just how important is it. Is it ethical for employers to use social media in hiring and. Apr 16, 20 social media is a key player in the job search process today. Many people are aware of the value and risk involved in checking the details of candidates from social media while hiring.
Even though 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates, should you. There was a time when facebook did not exist, and the way to impress your potential employer was to have a wellput together resume with outstanding qualifications. More than half of employers have found content on social. And 23 percent said that they found information that directly led to hiring the applicant.
A firms recruitment strategies can make all the difference in hiring competent and talented individuals. Employer liability for using social media in hiring decisions. While it is expected that employers will take all possible steps to properly vet job applicants, technological advancements have created many new issues for employers and employees to consider. Nov 21, 2017 it makes sense that social media social networking sites are being used as a common tool for job recruiters in the search for the right candidate. The good folks down at reppler recently conducted a survey of 300 professionals who are involved in the hiring process at their company to understand the use of social networks for screening job applicants. Find out the risks of looking at an applicants facebook or twitter in this post. Have you ever looked up your job applicants on social media before calling them in for an interview or hiring them. Apr 16, 2018 if youre not already using social media for recruitment, heres a push to get on board. The nonos when using social networks with more than half of employers 54 percent finding content on social media that caused them not to hire a candidate, why take your chances. Employers report rejecting job applicants when they find references to drug use, heavy drinking, sexually offensive materials, violent imagery, or anything else that reflects poorly on the applicant. Social media is part of todays workplace but its use may.
During this time, employers made their hiring decisions based on meeting with the potential employee during an interview discussing their. Employers looking at social media accounts when you apply for. The use social media in making hiring and employment determinations, when social media communication or content is not relevant to the employees ability to do the job, would be disrespectful, demeaning, and unfair to job applicants and employees, again, regardless of consent. Why do employers use social media in hiring decisions. Twitter is widely used to announce jobs efficiently using hashtags to target specific groups, and facebook often mediates the online reputation of. In 2006, just 12 percent of hiring managers were using social media accounts as a. May 04, 2016 a new survey found that 60 per cent of employers check a persons social media background before hiring. Pdf employer liability for using social media in hiring. Aug 21, 2012 employers should take these potential claims into account when designing policies and practices related to the use of social media in hiring and firing employees.
Pdf abstract with the availability of so much personal information about potential employees on social media sites, it is not surprising that. Nov 14, 2018 employers do look at social media profiles to make hiring decisions, and can, so long as it does not violate federal or state antidiscrimination laws such as race, gender, religion, national. Employers are searching for a few key items when researching candidates via social networking sites as good signs to hire. The burden of proof is not on the shoulders of the accuser. The pros and cons of social media screening globalhr research. Once you determine your unique value proposition as an employer, your company can create social media profiles that highlight that value in order to attract talent. The average recruiter consulted social media profiles 2. According to surveys, around 70% of all employers check out applicants on the internet when hiring. Although using social media for hiring provides you with platforms such as facebook, twitter and linkedin which are great tools for finding potential recruits numerous hurdles stand in your way.
Employers are looking at your social media accounts when you apply for a job. Theres no question that social media is changing the way business works and the trend goes well beyond marketing. Eight ways to leverage social media as a hiring tool forbes. You may not want to do all of the above with regard to your hiring process, but you should use social media in some manner. Savvy companies are looking to social media trends to assist with their recruiting and hiring lest you think social media is too complicated or just a phase, remember, a decade ago, using background screening to help with recruiting was still a. Employers do look at social media profiles to make hiring decisions, and can, so long as it does not violate federal or state antidiscrimination laws such as race, gender, religion, national. Seventy percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates on par with last year, while seven. You know that social media is an important tool for job seekers, but did you know that employers are using it too.
Although such cases will certainly give employer pause, an attorney familiar with employment issues, privacy, and the evolving law of social media can help determine the best course of action. Here are five major companies who have created strong employer brands on social media, and are going above and beyond to hire top talent through facebook, twitter, linkedin, and other social media networks. Pause before you post and remember these key reasons that employers were turned off by a candidates online presence. Social media screening is no longer a taboo and has long become a standard part of the screening process when hiring new employees. Pros and cons of using social media for employee recruitment. With the availability of so much personal information about potential employees on social media sites, it is not. The dos and donts of social media screening in the hiring. There was a time when facebook did not exist, and the way to impress your potential employer was to. Title vii also prohibits discrimination during any aspect of employment including hiring or firing, recruitment, or testing. Employers looking at social media accounts when you apply. How to use social media for recruiting employees robert half. While youre researching potential employers and learning all you can about the hiring managers wholl be interviewing you, theyre checking you out, too.
Jun 15, 2017 chicago and atlanta, june 15, 2017 prnewswire before posting pictures of your latenight revelry or complaints about your job on social media, think again 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring, up significantly from 60 percent last year and 11 percent in 2006. The idea businesses can recruit and hire using social media is no longer a gimmick. According to a new careerbuilder survey, 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring, which is up significantly from 60 percent in 2016. The frequent use of technology in the workplace is undeniable as is the monitoring of employee postings in hiring and performance evaluation by employers. Do employers violate the ethical rights of employees when using social media for workplace decisions. Social media screenings gain in popularity business news daily. With social media becoming such a big part of our everyday lives, its no surprise that employers are increasingly using social networks to. Is it ethical for employers to use social media in hiring. Treat bad social media information delicately social media law is constantly evolving as in the groundbreaking nlrb facebook case. May 23, 2018 while it is expected that employers will take all possible steps to properly vet job applicants, technological advancements have created many new issues for employers and employees to consider. Feb 19, 2018 if youre not currently using social media in your hiring process, youre in the minority. Viewing a candidates social media profiles, especially before you meet the candidate in person, could subject your organization up to a discrimination lawsuit. Except in the states of california, maryland, and illinois, there are no laws that prohibit employers from using social media profiles as a basis of whether or not someone should be hired. Assume that applicants and new hires could be searching you and your company and even trying to figure out the identity of possible interviewers ahead of time.
Linkedin has long been known as the social media network for recruitment but should we be including the likes of twitter and facebook into our social media recruitment strategy. However, social media screening has a place in the hiring process for. After giving a candidates social profile the onceover, the majority of hiring managers came back for round two. Why employers are using social media to screen job candidates. Use of social media in hiring and firing employees. The pros and cons of using social media in the recruiting. However, theres more to social media screening than simply looking up an applicants facebook profile and going through their tweets. Chicago and atlanta, june 15, 2017 prnewswire before posting pictures of your latenight revelry or complaints about your job on social media, think again 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring, up significantly from. Digital dirt may nix that job you were counting on getting.
Could your social media digital presence keep you from landing a job. Social medias effect on the hiring process paychex. According to a 2018 careerbuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and about 43% of employers use social media to check on current employees. They interact casually with their friends and other people, hence, it is not an assurance of their behavior when in an office. Social media is a key player in the job search process today. How to use social media to recruit and hire recruiterbox. Why you should not use social media to make hiring decisions. So pause before you post if you think it could be questionable or. A survey conducted by harris poll for careerbuilder showed that around 60 percent. Legislation on prescreening employees is in its infancy, when it comes to social media. In states where employers are still able to ask for social media passwords or even those where they can only informally search the internet. Social media sites and accounts can contain some very personal and. Employers should take these potential claims into account when designing policies and practices related to the use of social media in hiring and firing employees. When it comes to screening job applicants, it appears that fewer employers are using social media than in the past.
Top 12 pros and cons of social media screening wisestep. Although its true there is a potential for costly lawsuits against employers who misuse social media, most of the stuff you hear about potential. Organizations must tread lightly when using social media to screen potential candidates. In 2006, just 12 percent of hiring managers were using social media accounts as a screening tool.