Social Media and the Recruitment Process | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds
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91% of employers use social media as part of their hiring process.
73% of companies have successfully hired a candidate through social media.
These research findings demonstrate the enormous impact of social media on the recruitment process. In addition, 28% of hiring employers are not likely to hire someone without an online presence. (Sources: Glassdoor, CareerBuilder, YouGov.)
All social media is usually researched and accounts are often easily visible unless settings are proactively changed to ‘private’. LinkedIn is the platform most employers use to check candidates’ online presence. It’s also a valuable source of applicants with 45% of recruiters posting content on social media to engage with candidates (StandOutCV).
It’s incredibly important to be socially aware and considerate when posting on social media platforms. This advice is backed up by sobering research findings (YouGov):
- 28% of employers at large organisations have rejected a candidate during the recruitment process due to their online activity.
- 16% of people aged 18 – 24 have been rejected for a role at least once due to their social media posts.
- 32% of Britons support social media checks becoming a standard part of the job application process.
Matthew Chilcott of Consensus HR says: “The job market is so competitive these days. Employers are being very specific about what they want in relation to qualifications and competencies and are only taking on the best applicants. That means your social media presence, whether it be Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc., must be absolutely spotless. The Facebook trawl is becoming standard practice in recruiting and something we use as part of the recruitment process.”
A Positive Impact
Social media profiles can have a favourable impact too. A research participant said: “One candidate’s application wasn’t so great, but her Facebook backed up all the voluntary work she claimed she did. We took her on, and she’s been one of our finest investments.”
Should Social Media Posts Matter?
“A candidate’s qualifications and experience should be an employer’s main focus,” explains Matthew. “However, character and how people portray themselves online are very important too.”
Social media posts can have a negative impact if they involve:
- Aggressive or offensive language (75%)
- References to drug use (71%)
- Bad spelling and grammar (56%)
- Drunken pictures (47%)
- Political views and activity (29%)
- Vanity (26%)
To summarise, while social media content may not be the deciding factor within the recruitment process it is hugely influential and should be managed carefully.
To discuss how social media can help your recruitment process, contact the Consensus HR team for an initial discussion.
To Summarise:
While social media content may not be the deciding factor within the recruitment process it is hugely influential and should be managed carefully.
To discuss how social media can help your recruitment process, contact the Consensus HR team for an initial discussion.
