The Social Media Job Hunt

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Even if you have a job, you’re probably looking for a new one, according to a new survey from Jobvite.

Their 2012 Social Job Seeker Survey of 2,108 adults (1,266 with jobs) says three quarters of Americans have “adopted an attitude of constant job seeking, actively looking for or open to new jobs.” That’s up from 69 percent a year ago, but a majority feels jobs are harder to find than a year ago.

The survey’s focus, though, was on social media – which it says job seekers are increasingly using for professional reasons.

Now in its third year, Jobvite’s Social Job Seeker Survey reveals Facebook’s the leading social network in the American workforce with 83% adoption, holding steady from 2011’s 82%. Twitter and LinkedIn saw major jumps from last year, with each gaining 9 points – Twitter’s now used by 46% of the workforce vs. 37% in 2011, and LinkedIn’s up from 32% to 41%. Job seekers are more social than the overall workforce, with 88% having at least one social networking profile; 64% have accounts on at least two networks and 44% using three or more.

With 1 in 4 job seekers (24 percent) reporting they’ve been asked for social media profiles during their interview process, more are updating their content with professional information in 2012 than last year.

Many use those networks to help find work, such as by showcasing their professional involvement online or asking for leads. Fifty-two percent used Facebook, 38 percent used LinkedIn, and 34 percent used Twitter. (But most did not use the networks to look for job postings on those networks: just 14, 11, and 10 percent, respectively.)

There’s a lot more info in the full survey, which is free if you fill out a form.

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