Wednesday, August 10, 2011

How companies are using social media to hire

Are you curious how companies are using social media to screen and hire  employees? Mindflash shares the latest data (via Eve Tahmincioglu on Google+).

  • 45% of employers use social sites to vet potential hires:
    • 29% use Facebook
    • 26% use LinkedIn
    • 11% use blogs
    • 7% use twitter
  • 18% of employers discovered social content that influenced them to hire a candidate:
    • 50% – personality
    • 39% – verification of professional qualifications
    • 38% – creativity
    • 35% – good communication skills
    • 33% – well-roundedness
    • 19% – positive references
    • 15% – awards and accolades
  • 35% of employers discovered social content that caused them not to hire a candidate:
    • 53% – provocative or inappropriate photos or other information
    • 44% – content about alcohol or drug use
    • 35% – bad-mouthing previous employers, co-workers, or clients
    • 29% – poor communication skills
    • 26% – discriminatory comments
    • 24% – lies about qualifications
    • 20% – confidential information about a prior employer

Do you want to know the legal risks that arise from using social media to vet job candidates, and the best practices to avoid these legal risks? Pick up a copy of Think Before You Click: Strategies for Managing Social Media in the Workplace.


Written by Jon Hyman, a partner in the Labor & Employment group of Kohrman Jackson & Krantz. For more information, contact Jon at (216) 736-7226 or jth@kjk.com.