RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT
Social Media W
e are all talking about Social Media these days, and whether we like it or not, it is here to stay. With its
popularity increasing dramatically over the last few years, and sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn continuing to grow, more and more organisations are harnessing its powers to promote their businesses. Recruitment is just one area where companies are using social networking to their benefit, and it never ceases to amaze us as recruitment consultants how many job seekers are inadvertently reducing their chances of landing their dream job because of their online image. It comes as quite a surprise to some, but it is a well-documented fact that recruiters use social media to screen candidates on a daily basis. But how are they doing this? In a recently conducted survey, hundreds of professionals involved in the hiring process at their company were asked about their use of social networks for screening job applicants. The results of this survey were not overly surprising, but the magnitude of the numbers involved certainly was: Over 90 per cent of recruiters use social
networking sites to screen prospective employees. Nearly 70 per cent of the recruiters
surveyed admitted that they had rejected candidates because of what they saw about them on networking sites. Just as interestingly, nearly 70 per cent of
the recruiters confirmed that they had hired a candidate because of what they saw about them on a site. Nearly 50 per cent of recruiters looked at
social networking sites at the initial application stage to screen prospective employees. Ignoring the fact that employers could
potentially be accused of discrimination if it could ever be proved that they hadn’t proceeded with an application based on a candidate’s online profile, what all of this means is that it is now more important than ever that jobseekers think carefully about how they portray themselves on social networking sites. Whether you like it or not, these results confirm that hirers are
64 DECEMBER 2011 PROPERTYdrum
Anthony Hesse, asks ‘Could your online image affect your career?’
‘Over 90% of recruiters use social media sites to screen applicants.’
using social networks to screen job applicants, which means that it is vital that you take the time to carefully manage your image on these types of sites if, indeed, you are on any of them. So, how can your online image put an
employer off, and more importantly what can you do to make sure you are looked upon favourably? The majority of this is common sense, but the main reasons recruiters reject candidates are because, among others, they: post inappropriate photos and/or comments, post comments about drinking and drug taking, post negative comments about a previous employer, and post lies about qualifications. On a more positive note, you can
increase your chances of securing a job by:
• • • •
Giving a positive impression of your personality and organisational fit,
Having good references and testimonials posted by others,
Having a profile supporting your qualifications,
Showing good communication skills,
• •
Showing you are a well-rounded candidate,
Demonstrating any awards and accolades you have received.
Jobseekers should also be aware that
Facebook and Twitter are used a great deal more than LinkedIn to screen job applicants. Hirers are using these two sites because this gives them a far more personal view of a candidate, rather than the CV-like view they will see on LinkedIn. So just because you have a very professional LinkedIn profile, please don’t ruin your chances by letting yourself down on Facebook. Another point worth stressing is that
hirers are looking at the social networking profiles of candidates very early in the recruitment process. This means that job seekers need to have their online act in order before they begin looking for a job. Our advice is that if you are using social
networking sites, and let’s face it, many estate agents are, whether you are looking for a job or simply building up your professional reputation, make certain you monitor and manage your online image across the different social networks you use.
Anthony Hesse is Managing Director of Property Personnel, recruitment specialist to the estate and lettings industry.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68