How Social Media Boosts the Job Market

More people than ever before are securing work via social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, research has found. According to StandOut CV and Job Description Library, social media has boosted the way professionals look for jobs, with more than half of UK office workers saying they used it to find their last position. The figure is even higher among Millennials, with 73% saying they found a job directly through such platforms.  In fact, according to the April 2021 survey, Millennial job seekers are the most active age group on social media, with 85% incorporating it into their job search.  This is because they are more adept with technology than previous generations and the ease of mobile job hunting allows them to apply for posts anywhere.  In fact, according to another survey, most mobile job hunting is done in bed or while on the daily commute. Unsurprisingly, IT firms have embraced technology-aided job hunting and are among the most likely to use social media to find staff.  More than 70% of IT companies say they regularly advertise on such platforms for employees. And with 9 out of 10 freelancers or self-employed workers turning to social media for work, it can be a vital way for firms to reach and find the talent they require. Not surprising then that 9 out of 10 employers now use social media to try and recruit workers, StandOut CV say, with firms spending a quarter of their recruitment budget on such platforms. Andrew Fennell, director of StandOut CV, said social media was increasingly being used by firms to recruit so-called ‘passive talent’ – employees not necessarily active in the job market but alerted to attractive work opportunities on their social media feeds. ‘Social media obviously plays a big role in many aspects of our lives, and job search is no different,’ he said. ‘Companies appear to be investing more and more into social media recruitment, and job seekers are responding accordingly by putting more time and effort into social media.  Employer brand has become hugely important for big companies and many are using social media to show off their new offices and company culture, to attract more passive talent.  As a result we are seeing more and more people attributing their latest jobs to social media.’