Job Searching on Social Networks

Only 1/5 of Brits search for jobs on Social Networks and just 1% have secured a job through them, Kelly Global Workforce Index Finds. People in the UK are failing to make to most of social networks as a career advancement route. Just one-in-five people in the UK search for jobs on social media networks, according to the latest survey results from global workforce solutions leader, Kelly Services. This leaves the UK near the bottom of the global rankings in 25th place.

One reason for Brits’ shyness when it comes to using social networks in this way is the fear that posting the wrong kind of material could have a negative effect on their careers. This is borne out in the results with 26 percent of respondents saying they are worried that material from their social networking sites could adversely impact their careers and one third admitting to deliberately self-censoring content. The findings are part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which obtained the views of approximately 97,000 people in 30 countries, including more than 2,000 in the United Kingdom.

The survey, conducted from October 2010 through January 2011, demonstrates that social media is an increasingly important global employment tool that candidates in the UK should exploit more - only one percent of people in the UK have secured a job through social media. As Katie Ivie, Human Resources Director at Kelly Services UK explains: “Now is the time candidates should be developing a strong online presence on professional social networks to take advantage of the opportunities they offer and stand out from the crowd. Kelly Services already proactively uses social networking sites such as linked-in as a resource and the use of social media in the recruitment industry is only going to become more commonplace with time.”

Country	Yes	Country	Yes	Country	Yes	Country	Yes
Indonesia	49%	Italy	33%	Mexico	23%	UK	20%
Africa	44%	Thailand	30%	Denmark	23%	Russia	19%
Malaysia	38%	Puerto Rico	30%	Luxembourg	23%	Sweden	17%
Portugal	38%	Belgium	28%	Germany	23%	Norway	15%
India	38%	Hungary	25%	US	22%	Australia	13%
Poland	35%	Canada	24%	Ireland	22%	France	13%
Netherlands	33%	Switzerland	24%	China	21%	Average	24%

Courtesy of: http://www.onrec.com/news/wary_brits_left_behind_in_race_to_use_so