MATAWAN, N.J. — Job seekers are putting social media to work, as approximately 3.3 million applications were submitted using social media profiles to pre-populate online submission forms, according to the latest data from iCIMS, Inc., a leading provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) talent acquisition solutions. Today, iCIMS released its ‘Job Seekers Get Social‘ report, which analyzes the role of social networks such as LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook in the job application process.
The report presents data on the number of applications submitted through these social networks in 2015, pulled from iCIMS’ customer base of more than 3,200 contracted customers. iCIMS’ chief economist, Josh Wright, collaborated with third-party data analyst firm Hanover Research, to arrive at the data conclusions reflected within the report.
“Employers can offer candidates a simpler way to apply to jobs by allowing job seekers to populate their application with basic information from their LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook accounts,” said Wright. “Recognizing patterns of how today’s job seekers are searching and applying for jobs gives employers an edge over their competition.”
Key findings in the report include:
- Of the 3.3 million applications that were submitted via a social profile in 2015, 61 percent used LinkedIn, 22 percent used Google+ and 17 percent used Facebook.
- The information, construction, and leisure and hospitality industries had the highest share of applications submitted via social network profiles in 2015.
- The public administration, education and health services, and financial services industries had the lowest share of applications submitted through a social network profile in 2015.
- LinkedIn was more popular among applicants to smaller companies than larger companies, while Google+ and Facebook saw their market share rise progressively with the size of the hiring company.
- Google+ was the only social network to see its share of social applications rise – from 21 percent in Q3 to 26 percent in Q4.
“Our data indicates that social media is making inroads in the hiring process, as it is in many other aspects of our lives,” Wright added. “Job seekers are using social networks to search and apply for jobs, share job opportunities with friends, and provide their feedback on the job application process. Employers that recognize these trends and adapt to them quickly are better able to attract modern job seekers.”
To access the report, please visit iCIMS Hire Expectations Institute™ . An infographic on the data can be viewed here .
