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In today's digital age, social media has fundamentally changed the way companies approach recruitment. With a vast array of platforms available, organizations can now reach a broader and more diverse pool of candidates than ever before. Social media recruiting leverages the extensive networks of platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to attract top talent, enhance employer brand, and streamline the hiring process.
In this article, we’re going to dive into how companies utilize social media for recruiting, examine the role of social media in candidates' job search processes, and highlight the effectiveness and benefits of these strategies, supported by the latest statistics and insights from industry reports.
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Streamline your seasonal and high-volume hiring process and hit your hiring targets.
Key Social Media Recruiting Statistics to Know
- 41% of recruiters and talent acquisition professionals identify LinkedIn as their primary social channel for finding candidates
- LinkedIn is the most effective social platform for sourcing qualified candidates
- 63% of candidates check social media for employee and consumer comments about a company's workforce diversity or lack thereof
- Employers using social media recruiting software are 2.3x more likely to reach passive candidates.
- Employers using social media recruiting software are 2.4x more likely to share employer brand content beyond job posts.
How companies utilize social media for recruiting
Social media has become an indispensable tool for companies in their recruitment strategies. Here's an overview of how companies are utilizing various social media platforms to attract and source top talent:
According to Employ Recruiter Nation Report, 41% of recruiters and talent acquisition professionals identify LinkedIn as their primary social channel for finding candidates. Following LinkedIn, Facebook is used by 20% of recruiters, while Twitter (now X) is utilized by 10%.
According to Recruiter Nation Report by Jobvite,
A broader look at social media platforms used for recruiting reveals that:
- 68% of recruiters use Facebook
- 65% of recruiters use LinkedIn
- 48% of recruiters use Twitter (X)
- 46% of recruiters use Instagram
- 35% of recruiters use YouTube
While we don’t have data on the use of TikTok for recruitment, we know that 74% of Gen Z use TikTok for searching information, and 51% prefer TikTok for search over Google. (Search Engine Land)
When it comes to sourcing the highest quality candidates, LinkedIn leads again with 53%, followed by Facebook at 33%, YouTube at 22%, Twitter (X) at 21%, and Instagram at 20%.
Interestingly, there are gender differences in the use of social media among recruiters. 71% of male recruiters use Facebook compared to 53% of female recruiters. Similarly, 55% of male recruiters use Twitter, compared to only 28% of female recruiters.
Investment in social media for recruiting has also seen significant growth. In 2021, 51% of recruitment investment focused on social media, a substantial increase from 41% in 2018. Specifically, investment in LinkedIn was at 39% in 2021.
According to Future of Recruiting Study by CareerArc,
Three most common reasons employers invest in social recruiting are:
- Increase employer brand awareness (46%)
- Reach passive candidates (45%)
- Increase the number of applicants (45%).
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However, despite the high usage of social media for recruiting, many employers are not fully leveraging its potential.
- Only 62% post all their jobs on social media
- 39% use hashtags to target specific audiences
- 39% share employer brand content beyond job posts
- 35% post on behalf of recruiters' social profiles.
Social media and social media recruiting software are top technology investments for recruiters, with 41% increasing their investment in 2021.
How candidates leverage social media
Social media plays a crucial role in the job search process for many candidates. In fact, 79% of job seekers use social media platforms in their job search. (Glassdoor)
When researching deal breakers, 48% of candidates rank social media as their primary resource for identifying issues such as:
- lower pay
- poor work-life balance
- lack of workplace flexibility.
The top three types of content that influence candidates are:
- Job Listings: Detailed information about open positions with links to apply.
- Employee Stories & Spotlights: Personal narratives and highlights of current employees.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Messages: Information about a company's commitment to DEI.
Candidates rank social and professional networks as the most useful job search resources, surpassing job boards, job ads, employee referrals, recruiting agencies, and recruiting events.
Specifically, 68% of millennials visit a company’s social media properties to evaluate the employer’s brand. Furthermore, 90% of candidates follow brands on social media, and 79% interact with brands on these platforms.
Regarding diversity and inclusion, nearly two-thirds (63%) of candidates check social media for employee and consumer comments about a company's workforce diversity or lack thereof.
Additionally, 73% of job seekers between the ages of 18 and 34 found their last job on social media, according to the Aberdeen Group.
Effectiveness of social media recruiting
Social media recruiting has proven to be an effective strategy for many organizations. Here are some key insights from CareerArc's 2022 Social Recruiting CPC + ROI Benchmark Report and their Future of Recruiting Study:
Cost Efficiency
- The average cost-per-click (CPC) for job-related social media posts for CareerArc clients was $0.35 in 2021.
- This CPC is 68.2% lower than other recruitment marketing methods, indicating significant cost savings.
Employee Advocacy and Ambassadorship
- 41% of CareerArc clients implemented employee advocacy and ambassadorship strategies in 2021.
- This is a notable increase from 23% in 2020, showing a growing trend in leveraging employees as brand advocates.
Efficiency Gains
- CareerArc clients experienced a 14.6% increase in average hours saved per client in 2021.
- This translates to 949 hours of work saved per year, highlighting the efficiency of social media recruiting software.
Benefits of Social Media Recruiting Software
Employers using social media recruiting software are:
- 2.3x more likely to reach passive candidates.
- 2.4x more likely to increase candidate engagement.
- 3x more likely to source candidates for hard-to-fill positions.
- 4x more likely to use hashtags to target specific talent audiences.
- 3x more likely to post all jobs to social media.
- 3x more likely to post jobs on behalf of recruiters’ social profiles.
- 2.4x more likely to share employer brand content beyond job posts.
Linkedin Statistics
LinkedIn has established itself as a leading platform for recruitment, offering numerous benefits for both job seekers and recruiters. According to Linkedin, here are some key statistics highlighting its impact:
Recruiter Usage
- 97% of HR and staffing professionals use LinkedIn in their recruiting efforts.
- More than 40% of recruiters report using LinkedIn to find talent every week.
- Over 58 million companies are listed on LinkedIn.
- 77% of hiring managers believe that the professionals hired through LinkedIn are of higher quality compared to those sourced from other methods.
- 72% of recruiters use LinkedIn for hiring new talent.
Job Seeker Engagement
- 65 million people search for jobs on LinkedIn every week.
- 95 job seekers submit an application on LinkedIn every second.
- 6 people are hired every minute on LinkedIn.
- In 2022, there was an 88% increase in hires on LinkedIn, reflecting its growing influence.
Conclusion
Social media has undeniably transformed the recruitment landscape, offering both employers and job seekers unparalleled opportunities for connection and engagement. Companies are increasingly investing in social media recruiting to reach passive candidates, enhance their employer brand, and increase the number of applicants. Meanwhile, job seekers are turning to these platforms to research potential employers and find job opportunities, with a significant majority using social media as a primary resource in their job search.
The effectiveness of social media recruiting is evident in the substantial cost savings, efficiency gains, and improved candidate engagement reported by organizations. As social media continues to evolve, its role in recruitment is set to become even more integral, making it a crucial tool for future talent acquisition strategies.
