Jobs in New York

Everyone knows by now social media is here to stay, and should be incorporated into how companies do business. And that includes hiring.

We surveyed nearly 700 people earlier this year regarding their job search habits. But in addition to asking them how often they plan on looking for a job this year, we went a little further. We asked them where they seek out jobs. We asked what devices they use to do so. And we asked about their preferences going forward. We won’t give all the results away up front, but while we can say social media is a part of the job hunting strategy for most applicants, it’s not always the end all be all.

So, what does this mean for you as a hiring manager or small business owner looking to fill open positions with the most qualified people? Read on to find out.

The good news is people are constantly looking for new jobs whether they’re employed, unemployed, or under-employed.

Half of all the people we surveyed said they look for new jobs at least once a day. We repeat, 50% of people are actively searching for employment on a daily basis. That right there tells you your audience is out there and they’re more than willing to give you a look if they like what you’re offering.

In addition to that number, 33% said they look for a new job at least once a week, 14% said they job search on a monthly basis, and 2% only look once a year. It’s safe to say the era of 40 years and a gold watch is very much finished.

Yes, social media is a key tool when considering your hiring practices. However, it is not the end all be all.

OK, let’s get the least surprising stuff out of the way first. A whopping 74% of respondents say they use social media in some way, shape, or form while conducting their job search. However, we asked some other questions that showed a surprisingly old school attitude.

While 53% of people said they are more likely to pursue a job if it came via social media, the exact same percentage also said networking via social media has NOT made finding a new job any easier. Furthermore, when asked what the most useful resource is for finding employment, old-fashioned regular networking topped the list with 24% of respondents. That was followed by LinkedIn (20%), company specific websites (12%), Careerbuilder.com (8%), Monster.com (4%), Google search (3%), and Craigslist (2%).

No one chose Facebook or Twitter as the most important site for finding a new job.

While you need to consider social media sites and apps, don’t make the mistake of missing the forest for the trees.

That’s right, one of the most important sites people rely on is yours. That’s why 83% said the career/employment section of a company’s website is crucial when looking for a new job. That means it can’t be left unattended or ignored as some companies have a habit of doing. It needs to be refreshed on an ongoing basis with new job opportunties, and perhaps some engaging content that keeps jobseekers coming back regularly.

To supplement that section of your site, be sure to create social media accounts for your company. Almost half (47%) of respondents said they follow companies in which they’re interested on social media to see if they’d be a good fit. And 72% said they’d be more comfortable if a company they already follow reaches out with a job opportunity. However, most (52%) would not go so far as to download a company-specific app that alerts them to new job opportunities.

Social media is great and everyone is using it, but that doesn’t mean everyone is entirely comfortable with it yet.

Although candidates want companies to share things on social media, they don’t want to share too much themselves. More than two-thirds, 69%, of respondents said they would not be comfortable sharing information on their Facebook profiles during the recruiting process. Fifty-seven percent don’t want to share their Twitter profiles with employers, and 64% said they only want to share a resume during job search. Not surprisingly, 84% said they are OK with employers seeing information posted on their LinkedIn profiles.

When it comes to using privacy settings, 42% said they use them on Twitter, 58% on LinkedIn, and 76% restrict public-facing information on Facebook.

When it comes to how people will apply for jobs in the future, mobile has potential but jobseekers aren’t entirely comfortable with it yet.

Only 31% of those surveyed said they want to apply strictly via mobile, with 66% saying they find that process unappealing. However, 60% said they have looked for a job on a mobile device, with one-quarter of respondents having applied for a job completely via a phone or tablet.

The problem that arises is the experience of those who have applied on mobile. Unfortunately, 68% said they had an unfavorable experience applying for a job on a mobile device, with only 13% reporting a satisfying application process from a phone or tablet.

If the good news is people are looking for jobs more than ever, the bad news is the sour taste left in their mouths after going through the process.

We understand the goal is to get the job, so everyone except the person who was hired is probably a little bitter. But we asked specifically about the recruitment and application process, and found people are stressed and confused. While 55% said their most recent job application process was positive, 41% said it was negative. The most common complaint is lack of response, with 44% citing that as the biggest frustration. Additionally, 17% found the process too lengthy and confusing, 14% said they are stymied by a lack of worthwhile job opportunities, 8% said there are too many options when applying, 6% said they didn’t know where to start, and 2% said they lack the skills to find available jobs or search within their networks.

Part of the reason applying on a mobile device might not be so popular, is because people still want to take their time when applying for a job.

If they have to apply on a phone or tablet, 22% of respondents said they would need more than 10 minutes. That’s followed by 19% who wouldn’t want to spent more than 10 minutes applying, 12% who hit their limit at 5 minutes, and 6% who only expect to spend 1-2 minutes.

Even when applying in-person or on a laptop/desktop, 42% said they want to devote an hour or more to the process. Twenty-four percent said they won’t go more than an hour, 16% have a half-hour limit, 9% want to spent up to 20 minutes, 6% up to 10 minutes, and 1% are only willing to spend 5 minutes on the job application process.