Introducer Today

Make this my homepage | Add to favourites

News Story

Social networking self-promotion key to recruitment

Friday 19th June 2009

By Mike Jones

Smart self-promotion on social networking websites is becoming increasingly crucial in helping candidates land jobs.

A third of employers now use social networking sites to connect with potential recruits meaning it’s not what you know but how you get your message across on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn that counts.

Research by global recruitment consultants Harvey Nash and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that, in a bid to boost traditional recruitment methods and reach out to a wider pool of talent, social networks are increasingly becoming a mainstream recruitment tool.

Half of employers believe that if candidates invest time in developing a strong online brand using social networks and networking online, they are more likely to be hired.

Almost a quarter of employers routinely use sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn as part of their recruitment processes. And 15% said they would miss key new recruits if they did not tap into to social networks.

Matthew Garratt, HR Manager for figleaves.com said: "At figleaves.com social network sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have become absolutely critical in finding new hires. Not only do they give us access to people who we might not find elsewhere, but they are also an excellent way to understand more about the candidate beyond just their CV. Certainly for figleaves.com, job seekers who have a strong online presence do stand out from the crowd, and we would encourage more people to invest in their online 'brand'."

However, young jobseekers could be missing out on certain opportunities by failing to pick up on this trend. Although 92% of online 18-24 year olds are registered on a social networking site, just one in 10 (12%) agreed they currently use these sites to get job leads or make useful career contacts.

Social networking expert, Dan Rutherford, said: "Employers are increasingly looking for new recruits who have a strong online brand.

"A good place to start is with your Facebook profile. Use it as a personal ad detailing your skills and qualifications. You could even post your CV in hope that it catches the eye of a prospective employer. Now it's time to start working your profile. Nobody will see your CV unless you point them in the right direction. You can do this by searching interest groups and joining any that match your skills or experience. It can be a great way of making useful contacts and networking within relevant fields.

"Twitter is another great way of networking and keeping track of employers that are actively recruiting. Lots of employers post job openings on Twitter and by letting your followers know your employment situation they might be able to pass on job leads that you weren’t aware of."

Rob Grimsey, Strategic Development Director of Harvey Nash, said: "As UK employers continue to face difficulties recruiting, it’s staggering that 44% of employers think social networking will only become important in the future. What they need to realise is professional networking has already begun and is here to stay - just ask the one-third of employers who are successfully doing it right now.

"While real-world networking and traditional job services remain invaluable, web savvy job seekers should act now to gain the competitive edge as online networking helps jobseekers stay well connected and get career-informed."

Harvey Nash offers the following tips on how job searchers can use their online profile to attract employers:

* If you decide to use Facebook for professional networking, take a close look at your profile and decide what you want business contacts or prospective employers to see - and what you don't!

* Sign-up to Linked-In if you haven’t already;

* Track potential employers and recruitment consultancies on Twitter;

* Don’t leave a blank or incomplete profile. A full profile gives people the best opportunity to get to know you;

* Post content relevant to your job search but limit the photos you post;

* Network strategically - connect to people who can help with your job search;

* Think about joining interest groups which fit your field of interest;

* Finally, don’t limit activity to online social networks. It’s useful to speak to recruitment agencies with expertise in your local labour market. You can also view Britain’s largest database of job vacancies at www.direct.gov.uk/backtowork to see who’s recruiting in your area.

Have your say on this story using the comment section below

View Comments 0 comments

There has been no news comments

Post Comments

Most Read News Stories:

idibu releases instant quote tool for multi-posting
Monday 13th July 2009

Recruitment agencies fined £39.27m for price-fixing
Wednesday 30th September 2009

Workers follow 'gangster chic' dress code to be seen as powerful leaders
Thursday 1st October 2009

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti backs new training programme to help people into work
Wednesday 2nd December 2009

Swine flu self-certification backed by CIPD
Tuesday 14th July 2009

Send to a Friend

Discuss in Forum

RSS Feed

Share this article:

Digg it

Del.icio.us

Newsvine

Nowpublic

Feedback:

If you have any questions or suggestions about this article or our news section, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Recruitment Today

End of beginning as downturn slows slightly
The seasonally-adjusted CIPS/Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 42.9 in April from 39.1 the previous month, but was lower than last year’s figure of 49.7. Despite remaining below the neutral 50.0 mark (a figure less than 50 indicates a contraction) for the 13th month running, the PMI moved further from February’s joint survey record low.