Social networking sites are playing an increasingly important role in recruitment according to a survey conducted by Executives Online. LinkedIn was found to be the most popular and useful social networking site for both job searching and recruitment. While over half of respondents had used social networking sites to search for jobs, and more reported finding jobs through these sites compared to the previous year, LinkedIn was still seen as more valuable than other sites like Facebook and Twitter. Most respondents believed that social networking sites would continue growing in importance for recruitment in the future, though they may not completely replace more traditional methods.

1. FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT OR
FLASH-IN-THE-PAN?
The Use of Social Networking Sites in Recruitment

2. There is no constant but
“ change, as the saying
goes, so much of this
will continue to evolve
as social networking
sites find their role
amidst more traditional
recruitment methods
”

3. Contents
Introduction 1
Research Objectives and Methodology 2
Current Usage of Social Networking Sites 3
Usefulness Ratings of Social Networking Sites 4
Outlook on the Value of Social Networking Sites in Recruitment 6

4. Introduction
Executives Online offers a unique, fast-track
approach to executive resourcing and has
been a pioneer in the recruitment field, driving
and capitalising on key trends and tracking
“ ...we undertook a survey ... to gauge the impact that social
networking sites were having on the practice of recruitment.”
new developments as technology and the
Internet play an increasing role in job search
and recruitment.
It was thus with great interest that we
undertook to survey our candidates and
clients to gauge the impact that social
networking sites were having on the practice
of recruitment. We wanted to understand how
candidates were using social networking sites
to market themselves, and whether businesses
were making use of social networking sites to
find or research potential employees. Our
first survey on this topic was conducted in
September 2009, and we have followed it with
another in September-October 2010 to track
changes and identify trends.
There is no constant but change, as the
saying goes, so much of this will continue to
evolve as social networking sites find their
role amidst more traditional recruitment
methods. In the meantime, it is fascinating to
watch the process unfold.
Anne Beitel
Managing Director
Executives Online
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5. Research Objectives and Methodology
OBJECTIVES
Our goal was to understand how both individuals
and companies were currently using social
networking sites in their job search and/or
recruiting efforts, and specifically which sites they
were finding the most useful. Research questions
included:
• Which of the social networking sites do you
use?
• Please rate these sites in terms of their
usefulness in your professional life/job search.
• Have you ever searched for a job via a social
networking site?
• Have you ever actually found a job via a
social networking site?
• Have you ever tried to recruit via a social
networking site?
• Have you ever actually hired someone you
recruited via a social networking site?
• How would you describe your view of the
importance of social networking sites and
technologies?
SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND TIMINGS
Our surveys were conducted online in September
2009 and September-October 2010 among more
than 1,200 senior executives in the UK, who are
either registered with us as candidates for interim
or permanent roles, or who have used or
enquired about our services.
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6. Current Usage of Social Networking Sites
Almost all sites showed an increase in When we specified “in your professional life”,
popularity and usage among the executives usage remained similar for LinkedIn, but
surveyed, reflecting increasing adoption of declined to levels similar to last year for the
social networking generally. In 2010, LinkedIn less business-oriented sites. Some respondents
increased its lead in popularity and use over found the use of social networking sites to be
other social networking sites, with 87% of a phenomenon more relevant in the personal
respondents reporting using it, up from 61% realm than in the professional realm. As one
last year. Facebook was the second most respondent commented, “It's mixing social
popular choice among executives surveyed, and professional lives, typically areas kept
with 45% indicating they used the site, up separate for most people.”
from 33% a year ago. Twitter and Xing also
doubled in usage, with new sites we asked
about for the first time used by less than 5%
of those surveyed.
Which of the following social networking sites do you use?
100%
87% key
Percentage of Respondents Using
80%
2009 2010
61%
60%
45%
40% 33%
22%
20% 11% 10%
5% not 4% not 5%
1% 0% asked asked
0% LinkedIn Facebook Xing Bebo Twitter Viadeo Experteer
Which of the following social networking sites do
you use IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE?
100%
84% key
Percentage of Respondents Using
80%
2009 2010
62%
60%
40%
20% 11%
7% 6% 7% not not 5%
3% 5%
0% 0% asked 2% asked
0% LinkedIn Facebook Xing Bebo Twitter Viadeo Experteer
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7. Usefulness Ratings of Social Networking Sites
When respondents were asked to rate the
usefulness of the various social networking
sites, LinkedIn once again garnered the
highest ratings for “usefulness.” For sites like
Facebook, Twitter, and Xing, even active users
were far more likely to rate those sites as
“useless.” In 2010, more executives are
finding Twitter useful, although the
percentage who find it “highly valuable” still
trails LinkedIn by several orders of magnitude.
Please rate the following sites in terms of their
usefulness in your professional life/job search:
among our survey respondents was LinkedIn”
2009 Highly valuable Useful Useless
2010 Highly valuable Useful Useless
100%
“The most popular social networking site
90%
80%
Percentage of Respondents
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% LinkedIn Facebook Xing Twitter
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8. More detailed survey questions sought to
assess how useful the social networking sites
were to the recruitment process itself. More
than half of respondents indicated that they
had searched for a job using social
networking sites, up from a third in 2009.
In 2010, 14% report having found a job via
social networking, double the prior year’s
percentage. From an employer perspective,
17% of respondents had tried using social
“Fully a third of respondents indicated that they had
networking sites to recruit someone, and 7%
had actually hired a candidate they’d found
searched for a job using social networking sites”
this way, up from 4% last year.
Usage and Success of Social Networking
Sites in Job Searching and Hiring
100% Yes (7%) Yes Yes (4%) Yes (7%)
Yes Yes Yes Yes
(14%) (10%)
90% (33%) (53%)
No
(17%) No
No (96%) No
(93%) (93%)
80% No (90%)
No
Percentage of Respondents
(86%)
(83%)
70%
60% No
(67%)
50%
40% No
(47%)
30%
20%
10%
0%
Have you ever Have you ever Have you ever Have you ever
searched for a job actually found a tried to recruit a actually hired
on a social job via a social job via a social someone you
networking site? networking site? networking site? have recruited via
a social
networking site?
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9. Outlook on the Value of Social Networking Sites in Recruitment
Interestingly, despite the relatively low usage and success
What best describes your view of the importance
rates of social networking sites in the recruitment process to
of social networking sites and technologies?
date, survey respondents were positive overall about their
eventual role, with fully half believing “they will grow in
importance and will someday be how everyone hires and
finds work.” Some saw the use of social networking sites as
a way that companies could save on recruitment costs, but
15%
even more saw the benefit of social networking sites as
creating more open access to information for everyone.
Useful source of information, advice and comment on
business issues rather than a direct source of job 50%
opportunities or candidates. Use as a recruitment aid
35%
to check background of interviewers, interviewees and
other stakeholders
The market is imperfect, so anything that rounds the
square will help.
They will grow in importance and will
The evidence is now overwhelming that recruiters refer someday be how everyone hires and finds
to LinkedIn especially as a research and screening work – 50%
tool. Both LinkedIn and Xing are excellent for sales Fine for more junior jobseekers and roles but
leads for interims and I am currently pursuing possible not for executive recruitment – 35%
assignments as a result of using both sites. They're the lastest "flash in the pan," hot today
but will be forgotten tomorrow – 15%
I think it's still early days yet. Users haven’t yet developed
a workable recruitment model that everyone can buy
into or feel comfortable with. As a sector and function-
specific notice board it has its merits but not enough
people are using it. I'm sure it will evolve with time.
I thought LinkedIn was fantastic, in my 4 month search
for a job I had more interviews for roles from contact
on LinkedIn than agencies or other approaches. In the
end I had 5 offers for jobs at the same time, 3 through
LinkedIn.
One caveat that found some consensus is at which “levels”
the value of social networking sites will be most critical.
Over a third saw social networking sites as “fine for more
junior jobseekers and roles but not for executive
recruitment.”
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10. Despite the majority positive outlook, some Please excuse my ignorance but I don't
to be little more than people airing their concerns, moans and
respondents had a very negative view of understand how to effectively use these
I am a member of a number of LinkedIn Groups. They seem
social networking sites in the recruitment sites for job searching and networking
realm, fearing potential dishonesty and so whilst I am a member I am actually
unsavoury business practices among both only reactive to others requests. Maybe
candidates and recruiters. a tutorial or instructions to use these
mediums effectively would be helpful.
They are becoming trawling ground for
shady recruiters. Had a number of Ultimately, though, while a majority of
bizarre communications on LinkedIn respondents concurred that social networking
frustrations and are of very little, if any, actual use.
lately, and have blocked the view of my sites would have some role in recruitment,
contacts and am not accepting any mail many noted that they would never fully
from people I don't know. Sad, but that's replace more traditional recruitment methods,
how it is. or become the “exclusive channel.” Several
mentioned that social networking sites will
Social networking sites are potentially become a tool of the recruitment industry,
dangerous because they allow anyone rather than used by hiring managers
from criminals to the security services to themselves. As one respondent wrote, social
learn an enormous amount about us to networking sites will become part of “a
the point where as individuals we will toolbox of methods of hiring or researching
have no privacy and where many people business opportunities.”
will lose the art and skill of conversation
and relationship building. Several respondents cited the generational
aspects of adoption of these new platforms
Credibility is doubtful; I have seen and their impact on senior executive
recommendations being engineered. recruitment.
The “time consumption” factor was another I have not heard of any mature
fear: professional finding a job using Linked-
In or any other social networking site.
[Social networking sites] can absorb The sites have value for contacting
colossal amounts of time and their individuals but for anybody over 50 I
effectiveness is questionable. doubt whether social networking sites
will be the place to find a new role
Despite the increased popularity of LinkedIn
and other sites, many executive surveyed do Social networking sites have their place .
not find them effective, or sufficiently intuitive . . they should be considered part of a
such that they can be learned on one’s own: balanced approach to job hunting, just
another advertising medium.
I have never seen any benefit
whatsoever from my membership of I think they will be useful to keep an
LinkedIn. Indeed, I am struggling to work online CV, profile and networking
out what I am supposed to be doing contacts. I don't think they will replace
with it and considering removing my agencies completely. Everyone talks a
details from it. lot on these sites but not sure how much
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11. is accurate and how much they deliver. I
see my LinkedIn page as advertising
space for my professional career.
I don't think they'll ever replace the need
to meet people. Culture, fit and values
can't be assessed from a site.
Respondents were quick to point out that the
value of social networking sites was much like
many things in life: “what you get out of them
reflects the effort you put in.” Noting the parallels
between one’s “real” social/professional
network in the world and the one “online,” one
respondent pointed out that the same
considerations would apply:
I think they are useful for professional
headhunters, but for people such as
myself looking to find a candidate to fill a
spot in the organisation it is not as
useful, as it is very time consuming.
Finally, it’s important to note that most
respondents considered LinkedIn to have far
greater value in the recruitment realm than
any of the other social networking sites. One
respondent commented rather pointedly on
the topic: “some like Twitter and Bebo are
flash in the pans, but LinkedIn will become
increasingly useful and survive.”
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12. About Executives Online
We offer a unique, full -service process with is a bal anced blend of technology
and persona l servi ce.
Executives Online delivers fast-track executive resourcing – interim management, project
management, and permanent recruitment – leveraging our 100,000-strong Talent Bank of senior
executives. We source talent globally, via the Talent Bank which is built and drawn upon by
“Social networking sites have their place... they should be
each of our growing network of offices around the world.
considered part of a balanced approach to job hunting”
We offer a unique, full-service process which is a balanced blend of technology and personal
service. Our approach attracts both the best candidates and the most challenging opportunities,
and enables us to rapidly and effectively match then together in successful placements.
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13. Communities of interest
“ which span across
companies, skill areas,
and social groups will
become stronger
providing recruiters with
networks of talent
”

14. South of England Scotland Germany
Staple House, 3rd Floor Dalgety Bay Business Centre Dillenburger Strasse
Staple Gardens, Winchester Ridgeway, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9JN 51105 Cologne
Hampshire, SO23 8SR T: +44 (0) 1383 828920 T: +49 (0) 221-460 234 17
T: +44 (0) 1962 893 300
Midlands Italy
London West Walk Building Via Senigallia 18/2 Torre A
Capital Tower, 91 Waterloo Road 110 Regent Road 20161 Milan
London, SE1 8RT Leicester, LE1 7LT T: +39 (0) 2 6467 2632
T: +44 (0) 845 053 1188 T: +44 (0) 845 328 2370
The Netherlands
North of England South West and Wales Atrium gebouw
2 Victoria Street, Wetherby 1 Friary, Temple Quay Strawinskylaan 3051
West Yorkshire, LS22 6RE Bristol, BS1 6EA 1077 ZX Amsterdam
T: +44 (0) 1937 581900 T: +44 (0) 117 344 5128 T: +31 (0)20 3012159
North East of England Ireland Australia
Rotterdam House 1st Floor, 43 Main Street Level 6, 77 Pacific Highway
Quayside Rathfarnham, Dublin, D14 North Sydney, NSW 2060
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DY T: +353 (1) 492 5000 T: +61 (02) 9460 3824
T: +44 (0) 191 2064113
Belgium South Africa
North West of England Gentsesteenweg 1050, bus 12 West Block, Dunkeld Crescent
82 King Street 1082 Brussels Corner Jan Smuts and Albury Rd
Manchester, M2 4WQ T: +32 (0) 475 580 333 Dunkeld West 2196
T: +44 (0) 161 935 8246 T: +27 (0)11 2432801
France
17 rue du Maréchal Lyautey
95620 Parmain
T: +33 (0)1 34 73 10 72