In business, numbers matter. They help us build business cases, track trends, and measure success. In recruiting it’s no different – the more stats we have on hand, the more prepared we are for the next opportunity. With that in mind, we’d like to start offering a quarterly roundup of articles we’ve come across that include helpful data about social media and recruiting. Each quarter we’ll highlight several articles, in hopes you’ll find a few key nuggets you can use in your work.
For example, in this global Lumesse (formerly StepStone Solutions) study conducted in Sept. 2010, more than 60 percent of respondents reported using social media for recruiting. Of those who haven’t used social media, two-thirds plan to start soon.
Wall Street Journal writer Joe Light notes in this article a sea change in sourcing and recruiting now that companies are hiring again. He cites a Corporate Executive Board study that revealed 24 percent of respondents plan to rely less on third-party employment sites and job boards in 2011, while nearly 80 percent will lean more on alternative methods like employee referrals and social networks.
Engineering and consulting firm CH2M Hill’s experience testing out social media recruiting is documented in this recent post by Laurent Brouat on LinkHumans. Brouat details the success with various platforms and the strategies that produced the best results. Today, 98 percent of the company’s hires are directly sourced. A related post on the Social Media in Recruitment conference blog can be found here.
In Gerry Crispin’s annual Source of Hire study, more than half of respondents reported that social media was either their primary method of direct sourcing or a significant part of it. Crispin also notes that social media, along with referrals, is likely a contributing factor for hires attributed to other sources.
Linked:HR group leader Cris Wildermuth posted a survey in March asking about members’ top concerns for 2011. More than 600 HR folks from varying seniority levels participated. Virtually all groups rated “finding the right talent” among the top 3 concerns.
Jenny DeVaughn, currently of Bernard Hodes but soon to be Manager of Social Media and Employment Branding at Waste Management, points to this infographic from OnlineMBA.com on her blog, Social Precision. Called “The Value of Being LinkedIn,” it depicts growth stats, some fun comparisons and a breakdown of membership by age, earnings and more.
Have we missed one with great data you’ve been using? We’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to share recent articles you’ve seen in the comments section.