86 per cent of job seekers don’t use social networking sites to search for jobs.
Australian job seekers continue to go online to search for jobs, but many are growing nervous about the potential career fallout from personal content on social networking sites, according to the latest survey results from global workforce solutions leader, Kelly Services.
The findings are part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which obtained the views of approximately 97,000 people in 30 countries, including more than 4,000 in Australia.
The survey shows 29 per cent of respondents secured their most recent position through an online job posting, the leading source of jobs. Other methods of securing employment included:
* 21 per cent through recruitment/staffing firms
* 21 per cent through ‘word-of-mouth’
* 13 per cent through direct approaches from employers
* 9 per cent through print advertisements
* 1 per cent through social media outlets.
Karen Colfer, Managing Director, Kelly Services Australia, said, “It is no surprise to see that online job boards remain the dominant channel through which people find work in Australia, however it was interesting to note just how few had actually secured roles through social media outlets.
The survey, conducted from October 2010 through January 2011, shows that while social media is being actively used by 13 per cent of respondents as a job search tool, its success rate in actually helping job seekers secure a job is low – only 1 per cent report they used social media to secure their last role.
Colfer said, “There is no doubt the use of social media as a job seeking tool will increase over time as it becomes more and more engrained in our everyday lives. Ultimately it has the power to let people target the exact job they want, and even the organisation where they want to work.
“It’s clear that social networking is changing the way that people communicate and engage in conversations about work opportunities. Like any new technology, people are learning that there are positives and negatives, and they need to be careful that they are tapping into the best elements of the Internet when their careers are involved.”
“Our advice to job seekers is to continue proactively managing their ‘digital portfolios’ using their online profiles as a as a ‘digital resume’. Social media is also a valuable search and networking tool so we certainly encourage people to engage through the medium.
