Even Happy Workers Use Social Media for This
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Whether or not they like their current job, the majority of employees would work elsewhere if they had the chance, new research finds.
A study by the online recruiting website Jobvite revealed that three-quarters of workers are actively looking for, or are open to, new jobs — up 6 percentage points from a year ago.
Those looking for a new employer are increasingly turning to social media for help. The survey found that job seekers are more social than the overall work force, with 88 percent having at least one social networking profile. Nearly two-thirds of those looking for a new job have accounts on at least two networks, while 44 percent are using three or more.
"With fierce competition for jobs, which now includes a majority of employed people on top of active job seekers, social media has become a critical tool for job hunting and career growth," said Dan Finnigan, president and CEO of Jobvite.
Facebook is the most popular social network among those searching for a new employer. The research shows that 52 percent of job seekers use Facebook to help find work, up from 48 percent in 2011. Nearly 40 percent of job seekers use LinkedIn in their searches, and 34 percent are using Twitter.
The reasons job seekers use social networks is twofold: to search job postings and to network, the study found.
The study found that employers are also using social networks in the job search process. Nearly 20 percent of those applying for new jobs were asked to provide their Facebook profile, while nearly 10 percent were asked to see a LinkedIn or Twitter profile.
"One in six job seekers polled credited a social network for leading to their current/most recent employment," Finnigan said. "With technology and social networking rapidly evolving, those who don't engage through Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Twitter will quickly find themselves falling behind."
The study was based on surveys of 2,100 adults, nearly 1,300 of whom were either employed or unemployed and looking for a job.
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