Increasingly, job seekers are turning away from traditional methods of finding new opportunities and looking to new ways of connecting with potential employers.
A new Hays Canada study found that almost 100% of all Canadian professionals are on at least one form of social media network, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
More than half of these professionals have used these platforms when looking for a new job. This may not be very effective, however, as the study found that less than a quarter of employers are looking for candidates this way.
The study found that employers still rely on online job boards and ads to find talent, while only 23% of companies interested in hiring use social media to find employees. And when they do, Hays found, they often don’t use the right channels to do so.
Many employers turn to consumer sites to find employees. In the majority of cases, those who have done this – two thirds – say they have had “mediocre to poor” results, and 22% say the results have been “very poor.”
“Despite the popularity of social media among professionals, Canadian employers fall well-short in their effort to connect with and attract qualified talent,” said Hays Canada president Rowan O’Grady.
“In an economy that suffers from a skills shortage, it’s crucial that employers carefully evaluate how they’re engaging online. Failing to do so results in wasted resources, lost time and zero results.”
The study also found that while 58% of employers feel growing their social media profiles is a key goal, almost a third of companies feel social media can have a negative impact on their brand.
@EmmaHampelBIV
