Event Title
Social Media's Role in the Hiring Process in West Michigan
Location
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
Description
PURPOSE: Social networks are viewed by corporations as a means of recruiting both passive and active candidates in a personal, yet professional, manner. Given that social media are becoming a vital part of the recruitment process, this research compares West Michigan data to national data as found in the “Jobvite 2013 survey.” The survey regarding West Michigan was designed from two points of view - from the employee’s perspective of social media readiness for the job market, and from the employer’s perspective of using social media in the recruitment process. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The survey was administered via an online survey containing 10 multiple choice/rating scale questions. Volunteer participants in the study included individuals who are currently employed, those presently unemployed (including college students), and employers (corporations, businesses, and organizations). ANALYSES: Comparison of West Michigan and national survey data using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The data analyzed included both demographic and self-report data. RESULTS: The percentage of West Michigan employees with a well maintained social profile, and West Michigan employers who have a well-defined social media strategy in place for recruitment, is significantly (p< .05) lower than the percentages presented in the national results. CONCLUSIONS: West Michigan is well below the national average regarding social media usage in the recruitment and hiring process. Current and future employees, together with companies/organizations who may eventually hire them, do not place as much importance upon social media as a tool to market themselves as compared to national trends. Correspondingly, it can be surmised that companies/organizations, who participated in this survey, either do not allocate sufficient resources for social media, or they have not yet integrated social media into their recruiting/hiring strategies, or both.
Social Media's Role in the Hiring Process in West Michigan
Hager-Lubbers Exhibition Hall
PURPOSE: Social networks are viewed by corporations as a means of recruiting both passive and active candidates in a personal, yet professional, manner. Given that social media are becoming a vital part of the recruitment process, this research compares West Michigan data to national data as found in the “Jobvite 2013 survey.” The survey regarding West Michigan was designed from two points of view - from the employee’s perspective of social media readiness for the job market, and from the employer’s perspective of using social media in the recruitment process. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The survey was administered via an online survey containing 10 multiple choice/rating scale questions. Volunteer participants in the study included individuals who are currently employed, those presently unemployed (including college students), and employers (corporations, businesses, and organizations). ANALYSES: Comparison of West Michigan and national survey data using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The data analyzed included both demographic and self-report data. RESULTS: The percentage of West Michigan employees with a well maintained social profile, and West Michigan employers who have a well-defined social media strategy in place for recruitment, is significantly (p< .05) lower than the percentages presented in the national results. CONCLUSIONS: West Michigan is well below the national average regarding social media usage in the recruitment and hiring process. Current and future employees, together with companies/organizations who may eventually hire them, do not place as much importance upon social media as a tool to market themselves as compared to national trends. Correspondingly, it can be surmised that companies/organizations, who participated in this survey, either do not allocate sufficient resources for social media, or they have not yet integrated social media into their recruiting/hiring strategies, or both.