Member Article

The closing in of the Social Net

More often than not, young people today are finding themselves at the forefronts of social media technology, whether they are communicating via their phone, iPad, or through their books (Kindle).

Everyday the average person spends twelve minutes of their time on some platform of social media; roughly 4380 minutes a year – or just under two days.

With our interest and lives seemingly becoming forever glued to the likes of social media, did you know just how much it could play on your life?

Thanks to a recent survey conducted by hr software experts; CIPHR and Lab 42, they conducted a survey from three hundred employers about how they used social media to screen prospective candidates.
Out of that three hundred it was found that a massive 91% of them would use social media to screen prospective future staff.

From this 91%, a huge 76% claimed that they used Facebook to secretly screen prospective staff whilst another 53% used Twitter and shockingly, less than half used Linkedin at 38% - interesting as Linkedin is the only professionally based network out of the three.

Besides discovering what employers used, they also found that a huge 47% of employers would use social networking to screen candidates only moments after receiving an application; a massive shock to all those currently searching for a job.

Most crucially however, the survey found that most candidates would have their profiles viewed by prospective employers only moments before they were to receive an offer; almost as if an invisible weight was hanging over their heads.

From the survey, we can also see why employers rejected candidates.

Out of the employers who did screen candidates online, it was found that 61% would go on to reject candidates on the basis of what they found on networking sites such as Facebook and the reasons for doing so varied.

As photographs are indeed a huge part of certain networks such as Facebook, and now more than ever on Twitter, it is important to make sure that you don’t have anything controversial on your profile.

Out of the employers, it was found that 11% were to reject candidates on the basis of what they saw on profile photographs, (settings that can easily be changed within the privacy options).

Another 9% of employers had rejected candidates because of references to alcohol and rather shockingly, another 10% because of illegal drugs.

Another 11% of employers stated that they had rejected candidates because of poor written communication that was evident on their social networking sites.

One of the largest reasons for rejection, something that came just above drugs, was that through social networks, employers were able to ascertain as to whether lies had been told in regards to applications with 13% being caught out by fibs.

The news is not all bad however as it was discovered that 68% of employers had hired on the basis of what they found on social networking sites. Out of those:

- 36% hired because their profile supported reputed qualifications
- 33% were accepted because the candidate showed good communication skills
- 24% hired because they found hidden awards or qualifications.
- 29% because employers thought that the person showed a good personality, proving once and for all that nice guys certainly don’t finish last.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jonny Marshall .