by Ann Kaleshnik at ZD Design Agency
With the school year coming to a close, there is going to be a fresh batch of educated and degreed candidates entering into the professional work force this spring. With the economy starting to show signs of improvement, employers are going to be hunting for qualified, educated employees to join their team.
What are some ways to ensure you get the most qualified and best new hires for your company? Many companies today are using social media as part of their research.
CareerBuilder took a survey of 2,600 employers inquiring about their usage of social media in screening potential new employees. 45% reported using social media sites in an attempt to research a candidate with another 11% planning to begin utilizing social media account reviews this year.
35% of those surveyed decided solely on the candidate’s social media site whether or not to hire them.
So what did the employers look at to help make their decision?
Here are the top reasons employers chose not to hire a prospective client after reviewing their social media account(s):
Candidate posted provocative photos (53%)
Candidate posted content about them using drugs or drinking (44%)
Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers, or clients (35%)
Candidate showed poor communication skills (29%)
Candidate made discriminatory comments (26%)
Candidate lied about qualifications (24%)
So, honestly would you be excited to hire a prospective employee if they were responsible for any of these tweets?
There have to be positive things too, right? Using a candidate’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. will help you minimize the candidate pool and make sure you have the best of the best. So, what were some of the criteria that employers used to hire candidates after screening them?
Below are the top reasons employers chose to hire a prospective client after reviewing their social media account(s):
Profile provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit (50%)
Profile supported candidate’s professional qualifications (39%)
Candidate was creative (38%)
Candidate showed good communication skills (35%)
Candidate was well-rounded (33%)
Candidate received awards and accolades (15%)
In such a competitive market, it is important to utilize all the tools available to help you determine who will be a good employee because good employees are key to a good, productive company.
The information is out there and available, so use it! Your competitors are.
