55% of recruiters are influenced by social media

According to a study by the Jobvite platform on recruitment methods, 55% of the recruiters surveyed reconsider an application based on the candidate’s social profile. Candidates therefore need, more than ever, to watch over their online reputation.

To get hired, should we live connected? The survey by Jobvite, an American recruitment platform with 35 million visitors per year, shows that social media for recruitment really was the “next big thing,” the next major upheaval in this sector. Recruiters, more and more numerous on these platforms, are pushing candidates to adapt their profiles.

According to the study, 93% of American recruiters use or plan to use social media for their recruitment, while only 18% of them consider themselves experts in the field. To beat their competitors, American recruiters also plan to invest 73% more in social media. Social media indeed allows them to increase the number of candidates by 44% and to save 34% of time in recruitment.

Social media for recruitment: watch out for your online reputation

For the respondents, using social media also allows them to keep an eye on candidates who have not posted a résumé or who have not gone through an interview. To make up for this absence, many employers plan to expand their recruitment methods, notably on social media. As a result, 55% of recruiters reconsider an application based on the candidate’s social profile.

Social media for recruitment: boost your chances of gaining visibility

So, how can candidates meet the demands of social media? While not all recruiters will go “digging” on Facebook, especially since rules were put in place in 2010, it is nonetheless necessary to follow certain rules to look after your online reputation. This is particularly true in highly competitive sectors such as engineering, information technology, operations, marketing and sales. To do so, candidates must follow certain rules in order to maintain an online profile suited to recruiters’ in-depth scrutiny.

• They must pay attention to what they post online, but also to what is published about them. No negative link or content should tarnish their personal brand. Any lingering traces could indeed cause damage: according to a study by the software company McAfee – MIS Research conducted in January 2014 among 502 French people, 8% of 18-24 year-olds have already been fired because of posted messages or photos. One tip to keep personal-network content from appearing in search engine results is to set your profile privacy settings.
• Candidates must also position themselves effectively on professional social networks. On professional platforms such as LinkedIn or Viadeo, for example, by highlighting their strengths and qualities, so that people talk about them and recommend them.

Social media for recruitment: candidates have a lot to gain in the age of “Googling”

All these actions, such as taking part in discussions on professional networks, will help candidates build a good online reputation in an increasingly competitive and connected market.

All the more so since, according to a February 2014 survey by RegionsJob, 48% of recruiters say they “Google” candidates who have applied to their company. The Jobvite study also shows that recruiters are adopting a multichannel approach. As a result, 51% of them plan to increase their investment in mobile recruitment.

Check out the Jobvite study on recruitment methods: