Social Media Research Paper

Business Communication

July 02, 2013

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media in a Job Search

INTRODUCTION

Through some past decade, social media has full controlled on society. People are making social networking sites a portion of their daily routine. Social media has transformed the way people work in their personal life as well as professional life. In the technological world, businesses have unprecedented access to the different kind of information on applicants. In fact, almost half of businesses and human resource professionals are utilizing social media online tools to screen potential candidates, and that number is constant increasing. Just like a coin has two different sides, the social media screening can helps or hurts the potential candidate chances.

TYPES OF SOCIAL NETWORKS

Social media profiles are replacing resumes. Many HR managers and recruiters shifting through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Google+ pages to recruit new employees, and reaching out to them directly. The majorities of jobs are not posted on a job board, but can be found through networking. Almost around two- thirds of employers’ surveys in the U.S had successfully hired employees through social networking sites (General Counsel, 2012). It is very important for all jobseekers to keep social media profiles relevant because Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the accounts that could became actual resumes, which can make or break a job opportunity.

A survey released by Jobvite, 92 percent of respondents are stating that they made successful recruiting through social media in 2012 compared with 89 percent in year 2011 (Schawbel, 2012). Most companies and employers are using multiple social networks in their hiring process. A president of Hoffman and associated stated the social networking site LinkedIn is most successful in gaining hires. Based on Hoffman study, many employers replied that LinkedIn is on the list for 44 percent followed by Facebook 31...