19 Jan Searching for jobs online

Original post ubabenefits.com

When it comes to searching for jobs, most Americans go online rather than depend on friends or other contacts for this information. In a Society For Human Resource Management article titled, “Online Job Searching Has Doubled Since 2005,” they reference a Pew Research Center study that found about half of all U.S. job seekers have researched and applied for jobs online. That’s more than double the number from 2005.

What this means for recruiters is that people seeking jobs are getting their information about the job as well as the company from the Internet. Other forms of job listings such as employment agencies, print ads, and job fairs are still being utilized, but not as much according to the Pew study. In addition, people with higher levels of education are more likely to use the Internet when looking for a job.

Nearly 90 percent of college graduates went online, versus just over three-quarters of people who attended, but didn’t graduate, and fewer than 70 percent of people who never went to college at all.

The advice given was that if you search online for a job, then you should definitely have a LinkedIn, or other professional social media profile. This is especially true if you’re using a tablet or other mobile device to apply online.

Can you imagine having to submit your résumé using a smartphone? It’s so much easier just to link it to a profile and many employers accept that.

In fact, another aspect of the Pew study was the percentage of Americans who used a mobile device and social media to search and apply for a job. What should come as no surprise is that more than half of all 18- to 29-year-olds have used a smartphone to search for jobs. Recruiters should take notice and make it easier for these job seekers to find and apply for available jobs. They should also be able to easily share or forward these jobs to a friend if they know he or she is looking.

The article states that more than 30 percent of social media users have relied on social media to research jobs in which they had an interest. In addition, approximately 20 percent applied for a job via social media and more than 10 percent said that the information they posted on their own personal social media account helped them get a job.

The article noted that while this may make it seem like younger job seekers are utilizing online tools more, people age 50 and older have caught on to this strategy and are also using it to their advantage.