Aussies Use Facebook Over LinkedIn To Find Work, Says Study

New research from HR and recruitment specialists, Randstad, has found that while there is a growing number of local job seekers turning to social media, Australians are still lagging behind the 49% of job seekers worldwide already using it to apply for work.

Job seekers in Hungary use social media the most at 75%, compared to those in Japan who use social media networks the least at 26%.

The annual Randstad Award employer branding research, which globally captures the perceptions of 225,000 potential job seekers from 23 countries, also found that of those Australians who use social media to apply for jobs, 32% use Google+, 15% use Twitter and 11% use Instagram.

Speaking ahead of the company’s fifth Randstad Award on 23rd April in Sydney, Frank Ribuot, Randstad’s CEO, says he wasn’t surprised by the findings of the research, which polled more than 12,000 Aussie workers.

“While people use a range of methods to find and apply for work, the most successful way to secure the job you want is to use your personal networks. Traditionally this meant contacting friends and family and working closely with a specialist recruitment consultant. Today, with the ability to speak to a much wider network in an instant, this extends much further with the use of social and professional networks,” said Ribuot.

“As social media gradually permeates every aspect of our lives, it is only natural that Aussies will increase the utilisation of their social and professional networks to identify employment opportunities. There is so much information to be gleaned about an organisation and its culture by looking at how they engage with the public online, and there are clear benefits for both job seekers and employers that maximise the use of social media and professional networks.

“With employee referral programs remaining an important part of an organisation’s recruitment strategy, social and professional networks allow company messages and job opportunities to be amplified to a much wider groups of people,” added Ribuot.

“Although today many would expect LinkedIn to be the preferred network when applying for a job, it seems Facebook might be the sleeping giant of recruitment, and it will be interesting to see how the platform develops over time, as more people utilise the network to do their ‘research’ on potential employers and talent and to search and apply for jobs.”

Amplify your message

Ribuot says the Randstad Award findings are a timely reminder that employers must remain up-to-date with changing trends, technologies and sourcing tools within the labour market to attract and recruit top talent.

“The ability to attract, inspire and retain a team of talented and skilled individuals will give an organisation a significant advantage over its rivals. Identifying how specific talent pools find and engage with potential employers who they perceive to be ‘attractive’, is an important part of the puzzle. Understanding the needs, motivations and demographics of your current and potential workforce will help shape your business to become an attractive and sought after employer, one with a strong image, reputation and employer brand,” says Ribuot.

“Social and professional platforms, like Facebook and LinkedIn, provide businesses with an opportunity to flaunt their key attributes and a ‘through the keyhole’ glimpse of what it’s like to work for them. This will be particularly important for future generations entering the workforce, who today are almost born technologically savvy and will be using every tool available to identify the best job opportunities and their ideal employers.

“A great employer brand can have a snowball effect, particularly online. Through the power of amplification, effective engagement with the public, which involves sharing timely and relevant news and inspirational stories, positive messages can be magnified on social platforms. If organisations want the power to attract and retain great talent in a highly competitive market, investing in a strong social and professional network management plan will be critical for the years ahead,” said Ribuot.

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