The document presents a study on social media trends in Silicon Valley, focusing on its use for recruitment and employee evaluation among employers. Key findings indicate that while social media is increasingly important for communication and recruitment, it is not yet transformational; traditional methods like referrals remain crucial. Recommendations emphasize the need for job seekers to develop a professional online profile while maintaining a cautious approach to their online presence.

1. Social Media Trends
In Silicon Valley
Social Media and the Globalization of Business
Stanford University
May 25, 2011

2. Research Objectives
1. Understand general social media use with
regional employers
2. Quantify use of specific tools for recruiting and
evaluating candidates
3. Develop a better understanding of how social
media will impact workforce skills

3. Methodology
300+ telephone surveys were completed with employers
in Silicon Valley (technology firms and larger firms were
oversampled) through a stratified random sampling
technique
Margin of error was +/- 5.60, given a 95% level of
confidence
Survey fielded October 8 – 26, 2010
12 executive interviews were completed with super users
of social media throughout the region
Executive interviews fielded Jul. 7 – Sept. 20, 2010

4. General
Social Media Trends
in Silicon Valley

5. Don’t believe the
hype?

6. The Hype Curve

7. Social Media Use in Silicon Valley
Communicate externally with potential
customers and clients, using tools 34.2% 65.4%
such as Facebook and Twitter
Evaluate and determine whether to
hire new job candidates, using tools 27.2% 72.4%
such as Facebook and LinkedIn
Find and recruit new employees,
25.9% 74.1%
using tools such as LinkedIn
Communicate and collaborate within
your organization, using tools 23.6% 75.7%
such as SharePoint or Yammer
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Yes Don't use social media for this DK/NA

8. Change in Social Media Usage
Internal
21.3% 71.4% 6%
communication
Evaluating and
reviewing whether to 25.9% 65.8% 7%
hire job candidates
Finding and
recruiting new 28.6% 64.1% 7%
employees
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Increase Stay the same Decrease Not sure or DK/NA

9. Size
matters

10. How Important is Social Media?
50%
40%
Very/ Somewhat Important
30%
External communication
Find and recruit
20%
Evaluate
Communicate internally
10%
0%
Small Medium Large
Company Size

11. Important to Recognize Differences
Larger firms
are using tools more than smaller firms
High-tech firms
are using social media more than low-tech firms
Growing firms
are using social media more than firms that are not
adding employees

12. Recommendations to
Job-Seekers:
Recruitment

13. A weapon unused is a
useless
weapon

14. Recommendation 1:
Develop a Social Media Strategy
Particularly for Searches with Large Firms,
Growing Firms, and Technology Firms

15. Importance by Company Size
50%
40%
Very/ Somewhat Important
30%
External communication
Find and recruit
20% Evaluate
Communicate internally
10%
0%
Small Medium Large
Company Size

16. Growing Firms
30%
Very/ Somewhat Important
20%
External communication
Find and recruit
Evaluate
10% Communicate internally
0%
Growing No Growth Overall
Growth Profile

17. Use by Sector
External communication Find and recruit Evaluate Communicate internally
50%
40%
Very/ Somewhat Important
30%
20%
10%
0%
Overall Technology Healthcare/ Public Other
Sector

18. The
lightbulb
didn’t create the
electrician
profession overnight

19. Job Roles – Need for Social Media Skills
None/ NA
Marketing/ sales
Information technology
8.0%
77.4%
Public relations/ communications
6.6%
Recruitment
3.0%
1.3%
1.3% Management
1.3%
1.0%
Office staff/ accountants
Other

20. Social Media Skills: Importance
Very important Somewhat important Not at all important
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Overall Growing No Growth Small Medium Large Tech HC/ Public Other

21. It’s what you know
AND
whom you know

22. Recommendation 2:
But Don’t Rely on Social
Media Exclusively

23. Most Effective Method of Finding Workers
Word of mouth/ referrals/ networking
27.2%
36.9%
Use online job finder, like Monster.com 24.9%
or Craigslist 26.2%
Advertise in local or regional 13.3%
newspapers, print and online 15.3%
Use a recruiter/ headhunter
12.3%
6.6%
Put it up on company's website
10.6%
14.0%
Use social media sites, like LinkedIn, 4.3%
Twitter, or Facebook 2.7%
Work with education providers, 3.3%
like universities or colleges 6.0%
Work with a temporary hiring firm
2.7%
5.6%
Walk-ins/ sign in window
2.0%
6.0%
6.0% Mid to senior-level opening Entry-level opening
Hire within
0.0%
Other
6.6%
8.6%
Don't know
11.0%
4.7%
0% 20% 40% 60%

24. Recommendations to
Job-Seekers:
Evaluation

25. It’s better to
remain
silent
and be thought
a fool…

26. Recommendation 1:
Develop an Online Profile,
but do so with Caution

27. Impact of Online Presence
100%
8.5% 7.3%
80% 20.7%
32.9%
60%
41.5%
40%
47.6%
20%
29.3%
12.2%
0%
Positive impact on hiring decision Negative impact on hiring decision
Frequently Seldom Never Not sure or DK/NA

28. Recommendation 2:
Share Profile Data Wisely and
Stay Professional Online

29. It’s the
experience,
stupid!

30. Most Important Qualities
Presents themselves appropriately/
31.0%
communication skills
Experience 20.7%
Appropriate professional and/ or
15.5%
friend networks
References 12.1%
Highlights skills 10.3%
Professionalism 8.6%
Resume 5.2%
Other 5.2%
Not sure or DK/NA 13.8%
0% 20% 40% 60%

31. You
wouldn’t
fish
in a bathtub

32. Recommendation 3:
Create and Maintain a
LinkedIn Profile

33. Most Important Social Media Sites

34. Social Media
Productivity &
Skills

35. Honestly boss, I’ve been
Facebooking
all day

36. Perceived Impact on Productivity
Negative impact
17.6%
No impact
43.2%
Not sure or DK/NA
15.0%
Positive impact
24.3%

37. Importance of Social Media Proficiency
Familiarity with how social media tools
work and be able to gather information 11% 24.9% 63.1%
from them
Have social media accounts, with online
tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, 8% 14% 76.4%
or Facebook
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Very important Somewhat important Not at all important Not sure or DK/NA

38. Social Media Guidelines and Policies
100% 3.7%
100% 9.3% 5.3%
5.3% 3.7%
9.3%
80% 35.5%
80% 55.8% 35.5%
60%
71.8%
55.8%
60% 40%
71.8%
60.8%
20% 38.9%
40%
18.9%
0% 60.8%
Encourage the use of Written or established Allow access to social
20% social media while 38.9%
social media policy or media sites on work
not at work set of guidelines computers
18.9%
Yes No Not sure or DK/NA
0%
Encourage the use of Written or established Allow access to social
social media while social media policy or media sites on work computers
not at work set of guidelines
Yes No Not sure or DK/NA

39. The more things
change…

40. Most Used Applications
Email 26.8%
SharePoint 18.3%
Facebook 16.9%
LinkedIn 12.7%
Intranet 7.0%
Other internet 7.0%
Instant Messenger 5.6%
Skype 2.8%
Twitter 2.8%
Yammer 1.4%
Jive 1.4%
Other 2.8%
Don't know 18.3%
0% 20% 40% 60%

41. Conclusions
Conclusion #1
Social Media is growing but not yet
transformational

42. Conclusions
Conclusion #2
Job seekers should have an online
profile, but with caution; appearance,
conduct and professionalism are more
important online

43. Conclusions
Conclusion #3
Core skills are the most important
aspects of any resume – SM is best as
free mechanisms for highlighting
existing skills

44. Conclusions
Conclusion #4
At the most technically advanced and
largest firms, SM skills still might be a
differentiator.

45. Conclusions
Conclusion #5
There is no downside to having a SM
presence, as long as it is maintained
professionally.

46. Social Media Trends
In Silicon Valley
Philip Jordan
phil@greenlmi.com
Stephen Jordan
stephenmjordan@gmail.com