2012 SOCIAL JOB SEEKER SURVEY
Dec 01, 2014
2012 SOCIAL JOB SEEKERSURVEY
Methodology
the polling company, inc. on behalf of Jobvite conducted a nationwide online omnibus survey of 2,108 adults,
of which 1,266 adults (aged 18+) were part of the American workforce. Fielded September 5-7, 2012, the survey
included questions on current employment status, the use of social networks to find job opportunities and attitudes
about the current employment market.
Of the 1,266 members of the workforce, 948 were “job seekers,” and 86% also had at least one social network
profile. 318 were currently employed but NOT open to a new job.
Respondents for this survey were selected from an opt-in panel, and had expressed prior consent to participate
in online surveys such as this. Data were weighted so the demographics of this audience closely match the
nationwide population of adults (age 18+) with respect to gender, age, and region.
Definitions
Workforce: All participants in the labor market: currently employed + unemployed and looking
Job Seeker: All those actively seeking work or open to a new job, both currently employed and unemployed
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75% OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE IS COMPRISED OF JOB SEEKERS,up from 69% in 2011
ALL JOB SEEKERS
EMPLOYED, NOT OPEN
ALL JOB SEEKERS
EMPLOYED, NOT OPEN
2011
69%35%
31%
34%
2012
75%48%
25%
26%
EMPLOYED BUT OPEN ACTIVE JOB SEEKERS
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69%OF EMPLOYED AMERICANS ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING OR OPEN TO A NEW JOB, up from 61% in 2011
2012 Percentage of Employed (n=1,029)
TOTAL JOB SEEKERS
EMPLOYED, ACTIVELY SEEKING A NEW JOB 9%
EMPLOYED, OPEN TO A NEW JOB 60%
TOTAL NON-JOB SEEKERS
EMPLOYED, NOT OPEN TO A NEW JOB 31%
69%31%
2011 DATA EMPLOYED, ACTIVELY SEEKING A NEW JOB 16%
EMPLOYED, OPEN TO A NEW JOB 45%
EMPLOYED, NOT OPEN TO A NEW JOB 39%
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Q.61% OF JOB SEEKERS SAY FINDING A JOB’S GOTTEN HARDER IN THE PAST YEAR
39%
22%
21%
5%
8%
6%
MUCH HARDER
SOMEWHAT HARDER
NO DIFFERENT
SOMEWHAT EASIER
MUCH EASIER
NOT SURE
Q: Thinking of the past year, has it been easier or harder to find a job? N = 948
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41% OF EMPLOYED JOB SEEKERS ARE OVERQUALIFIED
29%
12%49%
7%3%
OVERQUALIFIED AND ACTIVELY LOOKING
OVERQUALIFIED BUT SATISFIED
PERFECTLY QUALIFIED
UNDERQUALIFIED
NO ANSWER
Q: Which of the following best describes your skill level in relations to your current position? N=712
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1/3 OF JOB SEEKERS ARE LESS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT JOB
15%
13%
34%
15%
19%
4% MUCH MORE OPTIMISTIC
SOMEWHAT MORE OPTIMISTIC
SAME OPTIMISM
SOMEWHAT LESS OPTIMISTIC
MUCH LESS OPTIMISTIC
NOT SURE
Q: Thinking of the past year, are you more or less optimistic about finding the right job? N=948
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88% OF ALL JOB SEEKERS HAVE AT LEAST ONE SOCIAL NETWORKING PROFILE; 64% have two profiles and 44% have three
31%
ALL JOB SEEKERS
85%44%
51%
EMPLOYED,NOT OPEN TO NEW JOB
75%31%
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2012
2011
2010
41%
31%
32%
2012
2011
2010
46%
34%
37%
2012
2011
2010
83%
82%
77%
TWITTER AND LINKEDIN GAIN ADOPTION AMONGST WORKFORCE
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19%
4%
2%
75%
23% OF JOB SEEKERS HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA INFO IN A JOB INTERVIEW
YES AND IT BOTHERED ME
YES AND IT DIDN’T BOTHER ME
NO
PREFER NOT TO ANSWER
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CONTENT RECRUITER REACTION* ANY
PROFANITY 61% 16% 8% 15% 23%
SPELLING/GRAMMAR 54% 20% 8% 5% 23%
ILLEGAL DRUGS 78% 4% 3% 2% 7%
SEXUAL 66% 6% 3% 2% 7%
PICS ALCOHOL 47% 9% 8% 3% 16%
RELIGIOUS 26% 13% 5% 5% 17%
VOLUNTEER/DONATE 66% 12% 8% 5% 17%
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION 80% 13% 8% 9% 20%
Content Posted by Job Seekers On Each Network
FACEBOOK CONTENT MOST LIKELY TO CAUSE JOB SEEKERS TROUBLE
* from the 2012 Social Recruiting Survey
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1 in 6 JOB SEEKERS CREDITS SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THEIR CURRENT JOB
32%
31%
26%
22%
18%
16%
13%
11%
13%
INTERNET JOB BOARD (SUCH AS CRAIGSLIST OR HOTJOBS)
REFERRAL FROM PROFESSIONALOR PERSONAL CONTACTS
NEWSPAPER
COMPANY CAREER SITE
INTERNAL JOB LISTING FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES
ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK (SUCH AS A TWITTER POST OR LINKEDIN POSTING)
CAREER FAIR
RECRUITER (AGENCY OR INDEPENDENT)
OTHER
Which of the following resources did you use that directly led to finding your current/most recent job? Please select all that apply.
40%
of Job Seekers credit a referral from professional/personal contacts OR an online social network
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41% OF JOB SEEKERS FOUND FAVORITE/BEST JOB FROM FRIENDS OR FAMILY
41%
27%
17%
15%
11%
9%
8%
8%
6%
10%
FRIEND/FAMILY
CLASSIFIED AD
ONLINE JOB BOARD
CAREER FAIR
RECRUITER
COLLEGE/UNIV. CONNECTION
OTHER
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WHO ARE THE JOB SEEKERS ON FACEBOOK?
70%
INCOME
< 25K
$25-49
$50-74
$75-99
$100K+
EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL OR LESS
SOME COLLEGE
COLLEGE GRAD
POST GRAD
AGE
18-29
30-39
40-54
55+
33%
30%
29%
9%18%
19%
15%
25%
22%
29%
22%
14%
34%
30%
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52% OF JOB SEEKERS USE FACEBOOK TO HELP FIND WORK, up from 48% in 2011
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
UPDATED PROFILE WITH PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION 25% 20%
PROVIDED YOUR OWN PROFILE ON A JOB APPLICATION OR DURING AN INTERVIEW 17% 11%
MODIFIED PRIVACY SETTINGS WITH WORK IN MIND 15% 19%
SEARCHED FOR JOBS 14% 20%
RESEARCHED A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER BEFORE/ DURING APPLICATION PROCESS. 9% 14%
CONNECTED WITH A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER 8% 13%
HAD CONTACT WITH A RECRUITER 6% 8%
NONE OF THESE 48% 52%
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49% OF JOB SEEKERS USE FACEBOOK CONTACTS FOR CAREER GAIN
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
I MADE NEW PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS 12% 20%
I ASKED A CONTACT FOR HELP WITH A JOB SEARCH /CAREER ADVICE 11% 20%
I SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH A CONTACT 12% 17%
A CONTACT SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY 20% 20%
A CONTACT REFERRED ME FOR A JOB 16% 16%
A CONTACT PROVIDED AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE ON A COMPANY 9% 12%
NONE OF THESE 51% 51%
1 in 5
Job Seekers Had a Contact
Share a Job on Facebook
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WHO ARE THE JOB SEEKERS ON LINKEDIN?
60%
INCOME
< 25K
$25-49
$50-74
$75-99
$100K+
EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL OR LESS
SOME COLLEGE
COLLEGE GRAD
POST GRAD
AGE
18-29
30-39
40-54
55+
28%
34%
30%
9%
18%
18%
18%
33%
12%
23%
27%
23%
28%
40%
/ 18 /SOCIAL RECRUITING SURVEY RESULTS 2012
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
UPDATED PROFILE WITH PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION 26% 15%
SEARCHED FOR JOBS 11% 13%
PROVIDED YOUR OWN PROFILE ON A JOB APPLICATION OR DURING AN INTERVIEW 9% 8%
MODIFIED PRIVACY SETTINGS WITH WORK IN MIND. 7% 7%
CONNECTED WITH A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER 7% 8%
RESEARCHED A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER BEFORE/ DURING APPLICATION PROCESS. 6% 9%
HAD CONTACT WITH A RECRUITER 4% 9%
NONE OF THESE 62% 70%
38% OF JOB SEEKERS USE LINKEDIN TO HELP FIND WORK, up from 30% in 2011
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38% OF JOB SEEKERS USE LINKEDIN CONTACTS FOR CAREER GAIN, up from 27% in 2011
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
I MADE NEW PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS 12% 13%
I ASKED A CONTACT FOR HELP WITH A JOB SEARCH /CAREER ADVICE 6% 8%
I SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH A CONTACT 7% 10%
A CONTACT SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY 19% 8%
A CONTACT REFERRED ME FOR A JOB 8% 9%
A CONTACT PROVIDED AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE ON A COMPANY 8% 9%
NONE OF THESE 62% 73%
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WHO ARE THE JOB SEEKERS ON TWITTER?
67%
INCOME
< 25K
$25-49
$50-74
$75-99
$100K+
EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL OR LESS
SOME COLLEGE
COLLEGE GRAD
POST GRAD
AGE
18-29
30-39
40-54
55+
35%
34%
26%
5%
18%
18%
18%
28%
16%
25%
19%
28%
28%
33%
/ 21 /SOCIAL RECRUITING SURVEY RESULTS 2012
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
UPDATED PROFILE WITH PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION 13% 8%
SEARCHED FOR JOBS 10% 11%
PROVIDED YOUR OWN PROFILE ON A JOB APPLICATION OR DURING AN INTERVIEW 10% 5%
RESEARCHED A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER BEFORE/ DURING APPLICATION PROCESS. 7% 5%
MODIFIED PRIVACY SETTINGS WITH WORK IN MIND. 5% 9%
HAD CONTACT WITH A RECRUITER 5% 5%
CONNECTED WITH A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER 4% 6%
NONE OF THESE 66% 84%
34% OF JOB SEEKERS USE TWITTER TO HELP FIND WORK, up from 26% in 2011
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35% OF JOB SEEKERS USE TWITTER CONTACTS FOR CAREER GAIN, up from 25% in 2011
CAREER ACTIVITY 2012 JOB SEEKERS
2011 JOB SEEKERS
I MADE NEW PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS 9% 9%
I ASKED A CONTACT FOR HELP WITH A JOB SEARCH /CAREER ADVICE 8% 9%
I SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH A CONTACT 7% 9%
A CONTACT SHARED A JOB OPPORTUNITY 11% 7%
A CONTACT REFERRED ME FOR A JOB 9% 6%
A CONTACT PROVIDED AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE ON A COMPANY 11% 7%
NONE OF THESE 65% 75%
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DEMOGRAPHICS OF ALL JOB SEEKERS55%
45%
AGE
18-29
30-39
40-54
55+
27%
25%
36%
12%
INCOME
< 25K
$25-49
$50-74
$75-99
$100K+
EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL OR LESS
SOME COLLEGE
COLLEGE GRAD
POST GRAD
26%
13%
27%
34%
18%
24%
12%
21%
20%
About Jobvite
Jobvite is the only recruiting platform that that
delivers real-time recruiting intelligence with
innovative technology for the evolving social
web. Leading, fast growing companies today use
Jobvite’s social recruiting, sourcing and talent
acquisition solutions to target the right talent and
build the best teams.
Jobvite is a complete, modular Software-as-a-
Service (SaaS) platform, which can optimize the
speed, cost-effectiveness and ease of recruiting for
any company. To find out more, take a product tour.
Jobvite Hire is a practical, intuitive web-based
platform that helps you effectively manage every
stage of hiring. It’s the only social recruiting and
applicant tracking solution that makes it easy for
everyone to work together on hiring. With Jobvite
Hire, you can improve the speed and quality
of talent acquisition, create a great candidate
experience, and increase referral and social network
hires – all while using fewer resources.
Jobvite Source is an easy-to-use, web-based
application that can help you achieve your
recruitment sourcing goals today. It’s the only social
sourcing and candidate relationship management
application that helps you target relevant talent
through employee referrals, social networks and
the web – then build and engage your talent pool.
Jobvite Source is one intuitive platform to manage
all sourcing programs and see the results.
CONNECT WITH US
www.jobvite.com
www.facebook.com/jobvite
www.twitter.com/jobvite
www.linkedin.com/company/jobvite
650-376-7200
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