We are bang in the middle of the ‘Social Age’! Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. have become important and necessary tools of communication in both our personal and professional lives. For youngsters (those who have recently entered the job market as well as those who are at the brink and in the process of completing their academics) social networks are an integral part of their lives. So, it was only a matter of time before social networks became an important source of acquiring jobs/internships.
Facebook has over 800 million users, Twitter has over 100 million users and LinkedIn (the premier professional networking site) also has over 100 million users. Recruiters, HR consultancy firms and various individual companies have realized the potential of this medium and social recruitment, which is currently a trend, is slated to become the norm. Surveys and studies have revealed that in India social recruitment (or recruitment through social networking sites) constitutes about 2% of all hiring. This trend is estimated to grow exponentially to over 20% of all hiring in the near future.
This is great news for the LinkedIn’s of the web world. Monster.com is the number one jobs portal in India and they recently jumped into the ‘social’ bandwagon by launching their social recruiting app BeKnown. Ma Foi, one of the most respected consultancy firms, was part of the Ma Foi Randstad Workmonitor survey, which revealed some interesting social networking habits of the Indian workforce. Almost 87% of Indian employees utilize social networks to check up on an organizations work culture. What is more encouraging is that 75% of Indian employees depend on social media to stay updated on developments taking place in companies they are scheduled to appear for an interview. Negative reviews about a company on social networks deter almost 75% Indian employees from joining a particular organization. This further highlights the importance of embracing social media as an important tool on the part of every organization.
LinkedIn remains the most preferred avenue of social recruitment, with over 87% companies depending on it, revealed a Jobvite survey. Facebook comes a distant second with 55% and is closely followed by Twitter with 47%. Monster.com’s social recruiting app BeKnown has been developed for Facebook as they believe that the much larger number of users on the social network will be an added advantage. A new player in the business networking domain, BraveNewTalent, hopes to fit into the gap between a LinkedIn and a Facebook. This recruitment networking service utilizes social media to create talent communities for employers. These communities will allow employers to meet and interact with prospective employees before they actually apply for any particular position. The primary difference between BraveNewWorld and LinkedIn is that in case of BraveNewWorld the network belongs to the organization and not to the service provider.
Social recruitment is the way forward. It is common knowledge that various IT/ITES/BPO companies utilize social networks for background verification of applicants. Also, social networking provides a holistic impression of any prospective employee. The employer can understand whether the candidate will be able to adapt to the environment and work culture of the organization or not. For the employee, he/she is constantly updated about the developments at the organization and can prepare themselves accordingly. It saves time and effort for all.
Have you had an experience of being recruited through a social network? Please share your experiences and views with us.
