SHRM Survey Findings: Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection

SHRM Survey Findings: Social Networking Websites
and Recruiting/Selection

April 11, 2013

Key Findings: Recruiting Job Candidates

• Organizations are increasingly using social networking sites for recruiting. More than three-
quarters (77%) of organizations reported using social networking sites to recruit potential job
candidates, an increase from 56% in 2011 and 34% in 2008.
 Publicly and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and
government organizations, and nonprofit organizations are more likely than government
organizations, to use social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates.
• Why do organizations use social networking websites to recruit potential job candidates? The
majority (80%) say the primary reason is the ability to recruit passive job candidates who might
not otherwise apply or be contacted by the organization.
 Compared with 2008 and 2011 data, organizations are increasingly using social networking
websites to target candidates with a specific set of skills (69%), to increase employer brand
and recognition (67%), and to allow potential candidates to easily contact their
organization about employment (57%).
• What are the reasons that organizations decide NOT to use social networking sites for
recruitment? About one-half of organizations are concerned with legal risks or discovering
information about protected characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender, religious affiliation) (52%)
or do not have enough HR staff time to use this recruiting method (48%). One out of four (26%)
cite questions about the accuracy of the information on social networking websites.
 Government organizations are more likely than nonprofit organizations to have concerns
about legal risks/discovering information about protected characteristics.
Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection ©SHRM 2013 2

Key Findings: Recruiting Job Candidates

• LinkedIn is the most commonly used site for recruitment. Of those organizations that use
social networking sites for recruitment, the vast majority (94%) use LinkedIn. This is followed
by Facebook (54%), Twitter (39%) and professional or association social networking sites
other than SHRM Connect (29%). Less than 10% of organizations use other sites like
Google+, YouTube, SHRM Connect, Pinterest and Foursquare.
 Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and government
organizations to use LinkedIn to recruit potential job candidates.
• What job levels do HR professionals typically target when recruiting via social networking
websites? Nonmanagement salaried (87%) and management (e.g., directors, managers)
(80%) positions are the most commonly targeted job levels. About one-half (48%) of
organizations target nonmanagement hourly employees, and 41% target executive/upper
management positions (e.g., CEO, CFO).
• What methods do organizations use to recruit potential job candidates using social
networking websites? Organizations use social networking sites to search for passive job
candidates (71%), create interest in jobs by posting useful information or contributing to
discussion (68%), search for active job candidates (66%), and create a group or page for
the organization to post information and career opportunities (59%).


Key Findings: Screening Job Candidates

• Do organizations use social networking websites or online search engines to screen job
candidates? About two-thirds of organizations have never used or no longer use social
networking websites (69%) or online search engines (65%) to screen job candidates. Twenty
percent currently use social networking websites for screening, and 28% use online search
engines. Twelve percent plan to use social networking websites to screen job candidates,
and 7% plan to start using online search engines for screening.
• Why do organizations NOT use social networking websites for screening job candidates?
Three-quarters (74%) of organizations are concerned with legal risks or discovering
information about protected characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender, religious affiliation).
Sixty-three percent say the information from these sites may not be relevant to a
candidate’s work-related potential or performance, and 61% think the information may
not be relevant to whether the candidate is a good fit for the organization.
• How often do organizations use online search engines to screen job candidates? For
organizations that use online search engines to screen job candidates, about one-half
frequently or always screen for nonmanagement salaried positions (50%), management
positions (49%) and executive/upper management positions (47%). Fewer organizations
(39%) frequently or always screen candidates for nonmanagement hourly positions using
online search engines.


Key Findings: Screening Job Candidates

• LinkedIn is the most commonly used social networking site for screening job candidates.
Of those organizations that use social networking sites for screening, a large majority (92%)
use LinkedIn. This is followed by Facebook (58%), Twitter (31%), Google+ (25%), and
professional or association social networking sites other than SHRM Connect (14%). Less
than 10% of organizations use other sites like YouTube, Pinterest, MySpace, Foursquare and
SHRM Connect.
 Compared with 2011 data, more organizations are using LinkedIn, Twitter and
professional or association social networking sites for screening job candidates, and
fewer are using Facebook and MySpace.
• Do organizations have a policy regarding the use of social networking websites to screen
job candidates? More than one-half (57%) of organizations do not have a formal or
informal policy with regards to screening candidates via social networking websites. Of
organizations that have a formal or informal policy, 21% prohibit the use of these sites and
21% allow the use of these sites.
 Privately owned for-profit and government organizations are more likely than publicly
owned for-profit organizations to have no formal or informal policy.
 Of those organizations that currently do not have a formal policy, 28% plan to
implement one within the next 12 months.


What do these findings mean for the HR profession?

• Using social networking websites for recruiting could give HR professionals a competitive
advantage in attracting talent. Many HR professionals are using social networking websites
as a tool to recruit passive job candidates who might not otherwise apply or be contacted
by the organization. Another frequently cited reason for using social networking websites is
to recruit for positions that require certain skills.
• HR professionals could benefit from using social networking websites to increase brand
recognition and generate interest in their organization. Many HR professionals are posting
useful information to websites and contributing to discussions as an indirect means of
recruitment.
• Organizations may want to consider whether they need policies related to recruiting and
screening job candidates via social networking websites. Over the past five years, a
growing number of HR professionals have been using social networking websites for
recruitment. In addition, about one-quarter of organizations use online search engines or
social networking websites to screen job candidates. Yet, more than one-half of
organizations do not currently have a policy regarding the use of social networking
websites for screening job candidates. The primary reasons HR professionals cite for not
using social networking websites for recruitment and screening are the legal risks, the lack
of the job-relatedness of much of the information found online, privacy concerns, and the
lack of verifiable data.


Using Social Networking
Websites for Recruiting Job
Candidates


Has your organization ever used social networking websites to
recruit potential job candidates, or does your organization plan to
do so in the future?

77%
Yes, we currently use these sites to
56%
recruit potential job candidates
34%

1%
Yes, we used these websites previously,
3%
but do not plan to do so again 2013 (n = 630)
3%
2011 (n = 499)

11% 2008 (n = 371)
No, we never have and do not plan
21%
to do so in the future
45%

11%
No, we never have, but
20%
plan to do so in the future
19%

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Respondents who answered “don’t know” were excluded from this
analysis.

The Use of Social Networking Websites to Recruit Potential Job
Candidates

Comparisons by organization sector
• Publicly owned for-profit and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and government
organizations to use social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates.
• Nonprofit organizations are more likely than government organizations to use social networking sites to recruit potential
job candidates.


Publicly owned for-profit (87%) Nonprofit (69%)
>
Privately owned for-profit (84%) Government (48%)

Nonprofit (69%) > Government (48%)

Note: Only statistically significant differences are shown.


Reasons Organizations Are Using Social Networking Websites for
Staffing or Recruiting

Reasons for Using Social Networking Websites for Recruiting 2008 2011 2013
(n = 125) (n = 277) (n = 485)

To be able to recruit passive job candidates who might not
69% 84% 80%
otherwise apply or be contacted by the organization
To be able to target job candidates with a very specific set of
38% 52% 69%
skills

To increase employer brand and recognition 35% 60% 67%

To allow potential job candidates to easily contact the
29% 47% 57%
organization about employment
It is less expensive than other methods of recruiting job
-- 67% 56%
candidates
To be able to target a specific job level to recruit or contact (e.g.,
40% 54% 55%
entry level, managers, executives)
To be able to target a specific geographic region in which to
31% 44% 45%
recruit job candidates

Note: Excludes respondents who indicated their organization currently does not use social networking websites to recruit
potential job candidates. Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Reasons Organizations Are Using Social Networking Websites for
Staffing or Recruiting (continued)

Reasons for Using Social Networking Websites for Recruiting 2008 2011 2013
(continued) (n = 125) (n = 277) (n = 485)

To be able to identify potential job candidates in other
-- 39% 41%
geographic regions
It results in more qualified job candidates relative to the amount
27% 36% 40%
of time and effort invested
To be able to effectively disseminate job- and organization-
18% 33% 34%
related information

To create an online community focused on the organization 18% 36% 33%

It results in a large quantity of job candidates relative to the
20% 29% 29%
amount of time and effort invested
It enables us to better target traditionally underrepresented
-- 22% 24%
groups (e.g., women, minorities, veterans, people with disabilities)

Other 3% 3% 1%

potential job candidates. Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Reasons Organizations Are NOT Using Social Networking Websites
for Staffing or Recruiting

Reasons for NOT Using Social Networking Websites for Recruiting 2011 2013
(n = 259) (n = 143)

Concerns about legal risks/discovering information about protected
53% 52%
characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender, religious affiliation)
Not enough HR staff time to use this recruiting method in addition to
43% 48%
others
Questions about the veracity of the information contained on social
27% 26%
networking websites
Lack of knowledge or skills to recruit using this method among HR
17% 16%
staff
Social networking websites do not have job candidates at the job
11% 15%
level that the organization is targeting
Smaller quantity of job candidates relative to the amount of time
7% 12%
and effort invested
Less qualified job candidates relative to the amount of time and
5% 8%
effort invested

Other 24% 12%

Note: Excludes respondents who indicated their organization currently uses social networking websites to recruit potential job
candidates. Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Reasons Organizations Are NOT Using Social Networking Websites
for Staffing or Recruiting

• Government organizations are more likely than nonprofit organizations to have concerns about legal risks/discovering
information about protected characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender, religious affiliation).

Comparisons by organization sector:
Concerns about legal risks/discovering information about protected characteristics

Government (74%) > Nonprofit (34%)



Social Networking Websites Used Most Often by Organizations for
Recruitment

Social Networking Websites Used for Recruitment 2011 2013
LinkedIn 95% 94%
Facebook 58% 54%
Twitter 42% 39%
Professional or association social networking site other than SHRM Connect 23% 29%
Google+ * 8%
YouTube * 8%
SHRM Connect 6% 5%
Pinterest * 4%
Foursquare 1% 1%
MySpace 3% 0%
Second Life 1% 0%
Other 6% 2%
Note: (2013 n = 484; 2011 n= 277). Excludes respondents who indicated their organization currently does not use social networking
websites to recruit potential job candidates. Total does not equal 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates this
response option was not available in 2011.

Social Networking Websites Used Most Often by Organizations for
Recruitment

• Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and government organizations to use LinkedIn to
recruit potential job candidates.

Comparisons by organization sector: LinkedIn

Nonprofit (88%)
Publicly owned for-profit (99%) >
Government (86%)



Targeted Job Levels Organizations Are Attempting to Fill When
Using Social Networking Websites

2013 (n = 481) 2011 (n = 277) 2008 (n = 125)

87%
80% 77% 82%

58%
54%
48%
41% 39%
36%
32%
27%

utive/upper management (e.g., CEO, CFO) Nonmanagement salaried employees
Management (e.g., directors, managers) Nonmanagement hourly employee

potential job candidates. Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple response options. Respondents who answered “don’t
know” were excluded from this analysis.

Targeted Job Levels Organizations Are Attempting to Fill When
Using Social Networking Websites

• Publicly owned for-profit and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than government organizations to
target nonmanagement salaried employees when using social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates.

Nonmanagement salaried employees

Publicly owned for-profit (89%)
> Government (66%)
Privately owned for-profit (91%)



How Do Organizations Recruit Potential Job Candidates Using
Social Networking Websites?

Search for passive job candidates 71%
by using the social networking 72%
website's search feature 53%
*Create interest in jobs by posting
useful information/contributing to 68%
discussion through social 2013 (n = 480)
networking websites
2011 (n = 103)
Search for active job candidates 66% 2008 (n = 276)
by using the social networking 65%
website's search feature 16%

Create a group or page for the 59%
organization to post information 63%
and career opportunities 24%

4%
Other 6%
7%

Note: Excludes respondents who indicated their organization currently does not use social networking websites to recruit potential
job candidates. Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates this response option was not
available in 2011.

How Do Organizations Recruit Potential Job Candidates Using
Social Networking Websites?

• Publicly owned for-profit and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and government
organizations to search for passive job candidates by using the social networking website's search feature.

Search for passive job candidates by using the social networking website's search feature

Publicly owned for-profit (79%) Nonprofit (55%)
>
Privately owned for-profit (80%) Government (41%)

• Publicly owned for-profit and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit organizations to
create interest in jobs by posting useful information or contributing to discussion through social networking websites.
Create interest in jobs by posting useful information or contributing to discussion

Publicly owned for-profit (75%)
> Nonprofit (55%)

• Privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than nonprofit and government organizations to search for
active job candidates by using the social networking website’s search feature.
Search for active job candidates by using the social networking website’s search feature

Nonprofit (53%)
Privately owned for-profit (76%) >
Government (48%)


Using Social Networking
Websites for Screening Job
Candidates


Has your organization used social networking websites or online
search engines to screen job candidates at any point in the hiring
process, or does it plan to do so?

Social Networking Websites 1%
2013 (n = 529) 68% 12% 20%

2011 (n = 441) 67% 11% 4% 18%

2008 (n = 388) 67% 18% 13%
2%
Online Search Engines
2%
2013 (n = 535) 63% 7% 28%

2011 (n = 417) 59% 9% 5% 26%

2008 (n = 381) 53% 9% 4% 34%

No, we have never used this method and do not plan to do so
No, we never have, but plan to
Yes, we used them previously, but do not plan to do so again
Yes, we currently use this online tool to screen job candidates
Note: Total may not equal 100% due to rounding. Respondents who answered “don’t know” were excluded from these analyses.

Why does your organization NOT use social networking websites to
screen job candidates?

Reasons for NOT Using Social Networking Websites for Screening 2008 2011 2013
(n = 337) (n = 461) (n = 406)

Concern about legal risks/discovering information about protected
54% 66% 74%
characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender, religious affiliation)
Information about job candidates taken from these sites may not
36% 45% 63%
be relevant to their work-related potential or performance
Information about job candidates taken from these sites may not
26% 33% 61%
be relevant to whether they are a good fit for the organization
Concerns about invading the privacy of job candidates 40% 33% 48%
Inability to verify with confidence the information from an
43% 48% 47%
applicant’s social networking page
Not all job candidates have information on social networking sites * 34% 43%

It takes too much time and effort in relation to information gained 19% 17% 18%
Job candidates might be less likely to apply if they knew the
9% 7% 11%
organization screened job candidates in this manner
Other 16% 8% 6%
Note: Only organizations that do not use social networking websites to screen job candidates were asked this question. Totals
do not equal 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates response option was not available in 2008.

How often do organizations use online search engines to screen
job candidates at any point in the hiring process for the targeted
job levels?

2013

Executive/upper management… 18% 12% 24% 25% 22%

Management (e.g., directors, managers) 10% 13% 28% 31% 18%

Nonmanagement salaried employees 7% 15% 28% 36% 14%

Nonmanagement hourly employees 12% 25% 24% 27% 12%
n = 120-140
2011

Executive/upper management…5% 9% 21% 36% 17%

Management (e.g., directors, managers) 4% 11% 28% 35% 16%

Nonmanagement salaried employees 9% 16% 31% 25% 16%

Nonmanagement hourly employees 18% 16% 21% 22% 13%
n = 110
Never Seldom Occasionally Frequently Always

Note: Only organizations that use online search engines to screen job candidates at any point in the hiring process were asked this
question. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Respondents who answered “don’t know” were excluded from this
analysis.

The Most Common Social Networking Websites Organizations Use
to Screen Job Candidates

LinkedIn 92%
85%
58%
Facebook
78%

Twitter 31%
11%
*Google+ 25%

Professional or association social networking site 14%
(other than SHRM Connect) 9%
6% 2013 (n = 104)
*YouTube
2011 (n = 80)
*Pinterest 5%

4%
MySpace
13%

Foursquare 2%
1%
1%
SHRM Connect
6%
2%
Other
6%
Note: Only organizations that use social networking websites to screen job candidates were asked this question. Total does not
equal 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates this response option was not available in 2011. “Second life” is
not reported because no respondents selected this option. Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection ©SHRM 2013 24

Does your organization currently have a formal or an informal
policy regarding the use of social networking websites to screen
job candidates?

No, there is no formal or informal 57%
policy with regards to the use of these 56%
sites 72%

There is no formal policy, but there is 17%
an informal policy prohibiting the use 17%
of these sites 13%
2013 (n = 593)
There is no formal policy, but there is 13%
an informal policy allowing the use of 12% 2011 (n = 531)
these sites 10% 2008 (n = 471)

8%
Yes, we have a formal policy allowing
8%
the use of these sites
2%

4%
Yes, we have a formal policy
7%
prohibiting the use of these sites
3%

Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Respondents who answered “don’t know” were excluded from this
analysis.

Does your organization currently have a formal or an informal
policy regarding the use of social networking websites to screen
job candidates?

Comparisons by organization staff size
• Organizations with 1 to 499 employees are more likely than organizations with 2,500 to 24,999 employees to have no
formal or informal policy with regards to the use of social networking websites to screen job candidates.

Comparisons by organization staff size:
No formal or informal policy with regards to the use of these sites
1 to 99 employees (72%)
> 2,500 to 24,999 employees (47%)
100 to 499 employees (68%)

• Organizations with 25,000 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 99 employees to have an
Informal policy prohibiting the use of social networking websites to screen job candidates.

Comparisons by organization staff size:
Informal policy prohibiting the use of these sites

25,000 or more employees (31%) > 1 to 99 employees (7%)

• Privately owned for-profit and government organizations are more likely than publicly owned for-profit organizations to
have no formal or informal policy with regards to use of social networking websites to screen job candidates.
No formal or informal policy with regards to the use of these sites

> Publicly owned for-profit (44%)
Government (71%)

Note: Only statistically significant differences are shown. Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection ©SHRM 2013 26

Does your organization plan to implement a formal policy
regarding the use of social networking websites to screen job
candidates within the next 12 months?

72%

No 71%

89%
2013 (n = 281)
2011 (n = 241)
2008 (n = 208)
28%

Yes 29%

11%

Note: Only organizations that do not currently have a formal policy regarding the use of social networking websites to screen
job candidates were asked this question. Respondents who answered “don’t know” were excluded from this analysis.

Demographics


Demographics: Organization Industry

Industry Percentage

Health care, social assistance (e.g., hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, in-
17%
home care, nursing homes)
Services—professional, scientific, technical, legal, engineering 14%
Financial services (e.g., banking) 9%
Government/public administration—federal, state/local, tribal 8%
Educational services/education (e.g., universities, schools) 7%
Manufacturing—other (not auto) 7%
Construction, mining, oil and gas 4%
Consulting 4%
Retail/wholesale trade 4%
High-tech 3%
Insurance 3%
Transportation, warehousing (e.g., distribution) 3%
Note: n = 629. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)

Industry Percentage

Arts, entertainment, recreation 2%
Other services (e.g., other nonprofit, church/religious organizations) 2%
Utilities 2%
Biotech 1%
Manufacturing—auto/auto-related 1%
Pharmaceutical 1%
Publishing, broadcasting, other media 1%
Services—accommodation, food and drinking places 1%
Telecommunications 1%
Association—professional/trade <1%
Real estate, rental, leasing <1%
Other 3%

Demographics: Organization Sector

Privately owned for-profit 39%

Publicly owned for-profit 23%

Nonprofit 22%

Government 11%

Other 5%

n = 625


Demographics: Organization Staff Size

1 to 99 employees 10%

100 to 499 employees 21%

500 to 2,499 employees 35%

2,500 to 24,999 employees 27%

25,000 or more employees 8%



Demographics: Other

Is your organization a single-unit organization or
Does your organization have U.S.- a multi-unit organization?
based operations (business units) only,
or does it operate multinationally? Single-unit organization: An organization
in which the location and the 26%
U.S.-based operations only 70% organization are one and the same
Multi-unit organization: An organization
Multinational operations 30% 74%
that has more than one location
n = 638 n = 629

For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and
Are any of your employees at your work practices determined by the multi-unit headquarters,
location unionized (under a collective by each work location or by both?
bargaining agreement)?
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
51%
policies and practices
Yes 20%
Each work location determines HR policies
No 80% 3%
and practices

n = 619 A combination of both the work location
and the multi-unit headquarters 46%
determines HR policies and practices

n = 478


SHRM Survey Findings: Social Networking Websites
and Recruiting/Selection

Survey Methodology
• Response rate = 19%
• 651 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership with the job
function of recruiting/staffing participated in this survey
• Margin of error +/-4%
• Survey fielded February 25-March 8, 2013
• 2011 data taken from SHRM Poll: Social Networking Websites and Identifying Potential Job
Candidates and SHRM Survey Findings: The Use of Social Networking Websites and Online
Search Engines in Screening Job Candidates (fielded December, 2010-February, 2011)
• 2008 data taken from SHRM Staffing Research: Online Technologies and Their Impact on
Recruitment Strategies (fielded July-September, 2008)

34

About SHRM Research

• For more survey/poll findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys

• For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit
www.shrm.org/customizedresearch

• Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research

Project leader:
Tanya Mulvey, survey research analyst, SHRM Research

Project contributors:
Alexander Alonso, Ph.D., SPHR, vice president, SHRM Research
Evren Esen, manager, Survey Research Center, SHRM Research

Copy editor:
Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center


SHRM Survey Findings: Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection

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