86% of Recruiters Use Social Media to Research Applicants
June 2, 2010 
10 Comments
Research shows 86% of recruiters look at social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace to learn more about job applicants and 44% don’t hire applicants based on their findings. “What you say and do on-line is just as important as what you say and do in the workplace. Whether you’re job hunting or gainfully employed inappropriate behavior can be a deal-breaker,” says Pamela Eyring, President of The Protocol School of Washington,® global leader in business etiquette and international protocol since 1988 and the first school of its kind in America to become accredited in December 2009.
To spotlight the importance of business etiquette, especially in today’s digital age, PSOW (www.psow.edu) is sponsoring the 4th annual National Business Etiquette Week June 1-7 offering tips and advice to help professionals recognize and combat bad behavior and act more professional. Historically, 85% of job success is connected to people skills including sending a hand-written thank you note after a job interview to show respect and distinguish yourself from the competition.
Top 5 Social Media Myths
- Facebook is personal (FB is now used by businesses from solo shops to the Fortune 50)
- Facebook is private (default privacy settings are minimal – select privacy settings manually)
- Only my followers read my Twitter posts (the Library of Congress has started collecting Twitter posts as a way to record history)
- Recruiters Don’t Look at MySpace or YouTube (recruiters look everywhere)
- My Facebook profile and photos can be deleted (even deactivated content remains on Facebook’s server)
Top 5 Most Hated Business Behaviors Internationally
- Using swear words (79%)
- Arriving at work and not acknowledging fellow workmates (77%)
- Speaking loudly across the room (66%)
- Not offering guests a beverage (51%)
- Taking calls on speakerphone (47%)
Top 5 Business Etiquette Mistakes & How to Correct Them
- Unprofessional office attire (dress two levels above your position)
- Improper handshake (use a firm, web-to-web handshake)
- Poor eye contact (make eye contact 40% – 60% of the time in between the eye brows)
- Poor dining skills (when in doubt watch the host)
- Cell phone rudeness (keep phones on vibrate and use your library voice)
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This is true. A lot of employers search in social media sites. That is why I updated my profile in FACEBOOK and tried to put in all my work history, just in case.
Start branding yourself on the social media and follow up with a Dynamic Resume
Your comments are a great reminder for people to watch their boundaries on social media to protect their online reputation. One little faux pas that might seem insignificant can lead to a misinterpretation of your values by someone who doesn’t know you well.
One little note I always find interesting… When talking about how important eye contact is…why suggest that eye contact is looking at a person in between their eyebrows? How about looking them directly in the eye for a comfortable amount of time throughout your conversation?
Thanks for your post – I think your points are important.
Terry Del Percio
http://www.workstrategies.com
Present day technology allows employers a wealth of profile information at their fingertips, seemingly common knowledge, and yet some of the self-destructive comments, etc?? Agree with the above opinions, utilize as an asset rather than a liability.
If I were an employer I would research my applicants on Social Media also! It’s amazing what people put on their pages. Instead of revealing everything, use it to brand yourself positively so that your resume will become more important. ResumeBear – the articles you post should be mandatory reading for all job seekers!
I’m always leery of statistics and 86% of recruiters using social media, send out a dynamite resume, one that ResumeBear helps produce, with great content and a recruiter will not have a need to use social media.
You are so right about swear words, but I wasn’t aware how right you are: 79% are turned off. Thanks. I’m going to wash my mouth out with soap right now!