If you didn’t know it by now, employers are using social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as an active part of their recruiting process.

In fact, a new survey suggests that even if you are not providing a recruiter with your social media information, most are still looking at them anyway.

According to new research conducted by Jobvite, a company that supplies applicant tracking software to employers, it finds that nearly 92 percent of all company recruiters are either using or intend to use social networks as a means for discovering new hires this year — up from 89 percent last year.

More corporations feel that utilizing social networking sites enables them to establish a more personal, yet professional, involvement while passively and actively recruiting job candidates.

Some companies are even going as far as to build employer brands on these sites in an attempt to better position themselves among those people looking to interact or apply for a position within their company. Some recruiters are even taking an express approach to developing potential candidates by messaging them directly rather than waiting for applicants to seek them out.

So, what are employers looking for on your social networking sites?

  • Even if you do not supply a potential employer with your social networking information, 73 percent of them are checking them out, anyway.
  • Recruiters are searching for relevant prospects by making sure potential employees have profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
  • 66 percent respond positively when a profile mentions volunteerism efforts.
  • Nearly 78 percent of all recruiters responded negatively for references to illicit drugs and posts sexual in nature.
  • 54 percent had a negative reaction to grammar and spelling errors.
  • 47 percent had a negative reaction to references to alcohol.

Even though Facebook saw the largest gain in overall usage by recruiters searching for potential job candidates, 54 percent say they are now actively using Twitter while 93 percent report that they are not only using LinkedIn to discover new talent, but to hire it.

 

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