With social media playing a role in the hiring process, it is important to know which social media sites are most commonly used by companies in the hiring process. “The top social sites searched by recruiters are LinkedIn at 92 percent, Facebook at 66 percent, and Twitter at 52 percent” (Morrison, paragraph 4). Some companies are using other companies such as jobsites to search social media and provide a more complete picture of the job applicant (Nigel Wright Recruitment, page 10). Since social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are popular social sites that are being accessed in the hiring process, it is important that applicants think wisely before posting. Job applicants need to remember what they post directly relates to how they are presenting themselves to the public. If job applicants are using the social sites referenced above, they need to be considerate of what they are posting. So, what type of information are companies looking …show more content…
The way job applicants present themselves in person during an interview may not be a genuine picture of themselves. However, people tend to be real with what they post on social media sites which may provide a more complete picture of who they really are. Hiring managers search social media to learn more about personal information, conduct, and various characteristics of job applicants. The information they collect may generate an opinion about the person which could have a positive or negative effect on an employer’s decision to pursue a job applicant. Although employers are looking at the content and posts that individuals post, they are also looking at their communication skills through grammar and spelling. “The Internet offers companies a gold mine of information about potential hires – and much of it doesn’t make for a good first impression” (Kwoh, paragraph 2). “Companies are inspecting social profiles to weed out candidates and to get a sense of whether a particular applicant is likely to fit into the culture or not” (Schawbel, paragraph 4). Two out of five hiring managers examine social media to gather information about a job applicant’s character and personality (Smith, paragraph 8).Social media helps employers get a better understanding of the applicant and the qualities they possess. The information a company finds may also provide insight into