Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 52 per cent use Facebook, 39 per cent use LinkedIn and 23 per cent use MySpace. One-quarter (25 per cent) search blogs, while 11 per cent follow candidates on Twitter.
Why Employers Disregarded Candidates After Screening Online
Job seekers are advised to be careful of the information they post online and how they communicate directly with employers. Twenty-six per cent of employers who use social networking sites to research job candidates reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate. The top examples cited include:
One-in-five employers (21 per cent) have disregarded a candidate because the candidate sent a message using an emoticon such as a smiley face, while 24 per cent dismissed a candidate for using text language such as GR8 (great) in an email or job application.
Why Employers Hired Candidates After Screening Online
Job seekers are also encouraged to leverage social media to highlight their professional skills and experience. Fourteen per cent of employers who use social networking sites to research job candidates reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them to hire the candidate. The top examples include:
"Social networking is a great way to make connections with potential job opportunities and promote your personal brand across the Internet," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. "Make sure you are using this resource to your advantage by conveying a professional image and underscoring your qualifications."
Haefner recommends the following DOs and DON’Ts to keep a positive image online:
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within Canada by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder between May 22 and June 10, 2009 among 419 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time; not self-employed; with at least significant involvement in hiring decisions; non- government) ages 18 and over. With a pure probability sample of 419 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 4.79 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.
About CareerBuilder.ca
CareerBuilder is a leading job site in Canada. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), the Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), CareerBuilder.ca powers the career centers for more than 175 Canadian partners that reach national, local, industry and niche audiences. These include leading portals such as AOL Canada and Macleans.ca. Job seekers visit CareerBuilder.ca every month to search for opportunities by industry, location, company and job type, sign up for automatic e-mail job alerts, and get advice on job hunting and career management. For more information about CareerBuilder.ca products and services, visit http://www.careerbuilder.ca.
CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Michael Erwin
CareerBuilder.ca
(P) 773-527-3637
(E) michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com