Recruiting via Social Networks is Booming

Are you looking for recruiters who have an urgent need to hire now? The way to find them just may be through social media. A new survey shows recruiters are using social networks ahead of all other forms of recruiting and are most likely to increase use of it this year. More than a third of the recruiters surveyed say they need to make immediate hires. Recruiters reported finding higher quality candidates via social networking and rated job boards last for quality of candidates.

Among social networks, LinkedIn rated highest among recruiters, Facebook second and Twitter third. More proof that optimizing your presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter is vital to your job search.

Another interesting note: 80% of the recruiters surveyed said they read social profiles, but they noted almost 70% of candidates do not share account information when applying.  Take control of your image and ensure recruiters are finding the correct profile by optimizing your LinkedIn profile and sharing it on your resume, in your email signature line and in all your job search materials. A well done LinkedIn profile is a respected marketing tool for job seekers.

While this survey confirms social networking critical, recruiters said their best source of quality candidates is referrals. More proof that there is no substitute for networking.