The Workforce Central Business Connection’s 2010 Survey on Recruiting with Social Media was conducted in May, 2010. Pierce County companies that currently use The Business Connection’s recruiting, testing, and training services, and additional area employers, were invited to complete the web-based survey.

1. SURVEY – Recruiting with Social Media
Pierce County, WA
June, 2010
The WorkForce Central Business Connection
4650 Steilacoom Blvd, Bldg 19
Lakewood, WA 98499
253-583-8800
www.TheBusinessConnection.net

2. SURVEY BACKGROUND AND HIGHLIGHTS
The Workforce Central Business Connection’s 2010 Survey on Recruiting with Social
Media was conducted in May, 2010.
Pierce County companies that currently use The Business Connection’s recruiting,
testing, and training services, and additional area employers, were invited to complete
the web-based survey.
Among the Pierce County employers who responded:
73.1% do not use social media or online networking to recruit
50.0% are concerned about confidentiality or security issues
25.8% suggest social media use may impede productivity
35.5% have accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn
16.1% have a Twitter account

3. Do you or your company use social media or social
networking as part of your recruitment effort?
1.50%
25.40%
Yes
No
Don't know
73.10%

4. Data Surprise
About one quarter of respondents are Over two thirds of respondents are not
actively seeking employment candidates engaging with job seekers by using social
on social media services such as LinkedIn, media, even though it is rapidly becoming
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. a preferred form of communication.
Opportunity
Employers who include the use of social media as part of their candidate
search can gain a major competitive advantage by reaching job-seekers that
other firms will never know about.
Other research has shown that a firm’s social media ‘absence’ can be
interpreted as a lack of industry or market leadership.

5. What concerns do you have about using social media
or social networking as part of your recruitment
effort? (select all that apply)
60.00%
50.00%
50.00%
40.00%
33.30%
30.00% 25.80%
18.20% 18.20%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%

6. Other concerns indicated:
No need for it; we are very small; just haven’t used it; quality of candidate; don’t use it;
haven’t really used it; we get enough response without it; generates spam; computer
viruses; poor quality of candidate; not sure enough people look there.
Data Surprise
Most respondents have concerns about Some employers fear computer viruses
either confidentiality or security. Some or candidates inferior to those that can
have no familiarity with social media. be sourced via traditional methods.
Opportunity
Employers can incorporate compliant methods on social media platforms to
court candidates of comparable quality that are ignored by most firms.

7. Which social networking sites are you using to find
candidates? (select all that apply)
60.00%
51.60%
50.00%
40.00%
35.50% 35.50%
30.00%
20.00%
16.10%
10.00%
3.20%
0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
0.00%
Biznik Facebook LinkedIn MySpace Ning Second Life Twitter YouTube Other
(please
specify)

8. Other social networking site used:
Kindred web site, Craigslist, Newspaper ads, Employment agencies, Craigslist.
Data Surprise
Facebook and LinkedIn are the two most Majority of respondents view social
popular platforms used by respondents media as no different from advertising.
who employ social media in recruiting. Virtually none use YouTube for recruiting.
Opportunity
Employers who understand and utilize proper social media engagement
techniques as part of their overall recruitment effort will establish stronger
rapport with candidates who use social media in their job search.

9. Which social networking techniques are you using
now as part of your recruitment effort? (select all
that apply)
60.00%
48.80%
50.00%
41.90%
40.00%
34.90%
32.60%
30.00%
25.60%
20.00%
10.00%
2.30% 2.30% 2.30%
0.00%
Attend Author a Comment Email Make Post Tap into Other
networking blog on blogs or friends and contacts recruiting current (please
events networks contacts through videos employees' specify)
social online professional
network or social
networks
(includes
referrals)

10. Which social networking techniques do you plan to
use more of in the future as part of your recruitment
effort? (select all that apply)
60.00%
50.00% 50.00%
50.00%
42.10%
40.00%
28.90% 28.90%
30.00%
20.00%
10.50%
10.00%
2.60% 2.60%
0.00%
Attend Author a blog Comment on Email friends Make Post Tap into Other (please
networking blogs or and contacts contacts recruiting current specify)
events networks through videos online employees'
social professional
network or social
networks
(includes
referrals)

11. Other techniques used or planning to use:
Unemployment office, newspaper, Craigslist, Worksource, help wanted ads, attend onsite
university campus, Craigs List, community events.
Data Surprise
Responses suggest that most employers Almost none of the respondents are
are using referral-based techniques to actively creating content to establish
generate candidate leads. their position as industry leaders.
Opportunity
Incorporating use of social media could increase job-seeker perception of the
employer as a market leader, and enhance all other recruiting efforts.

12. How do you use social networks for recruiting?
(select all that apply)
60.00%
56.00%
50.00%
40.00%
36.00%
30.00%
26.00%
20.00%
20.00%
10.00%
10.00%
4.00%
0.00%
Find out who is Headhunt specific Make new Promote open Don't use online Other (please
looking for a candidates contacts that positions social networks specify)
position might be useful

13. Other social network recruiting methods specified:
Don’t use social networks; just recently did.
Data Surprise
Most respondents either don’t use social Only 1 in 10 respondents actually
media to recruit, or they may list job leverage social media platforms to find
openings as a traditional advertisement. candidates that match specific needs.
Opportunity
Employers could include appropriate* research of candidates via social
media platforms to reduce number of unqualified candidates for
consideration in the normal recruiting process.
* Caution must be exercised to ensure protected classes of
information are not revealed to those making hiring decisions.

14. What percentage of candidates for positions at your
company have come from social networking sources?
8.30%
1.70%
1.70%
3.30%
3.30% 0-10%
11-20%
21-30%
31-40%
41-50%
51-60%
61-70%
71-80%
Over 80%
Don't know
81.70%

15. Data Surprise
Over 80% of respondents report only Slightly less than 10% of all employers are
1 in 10 candidates for employment have unaware of how significant a part, if any,
come from social networking sources. social media networking may contribute
to their current recruiting efforts.
Almost 2% of respondents indicate over
70% of candidates were sourced from
social networking sites.
Opportunity
Employers could experience up to 700% increase in successfully identifying
qualified job candidates with effective use of social media outreach and
research in their recruiting process.

16. Select your primary industry category:
8.80%
19.10%
10.30% Construction
Education & Health Services
Financial Activities
1.50% Government
1.50%
Information Technology
Leisure & Hospitality
11.80% 5.90%
Manufacturing - Durable Goods
Manufacturing - Nondurable Goods
Professional & Business Services
5.90%
Transportation & Utilities
5.90% Wholesale & Retail Trade
Other (please specify)
10.30%
11.80%
7.40%

17. SUMMARY
Only 1 in 4 Pierce County employers uses any kind of social media networking as part of
their overall recruiting strategy.
There is confusion about what is or is not social media; in fact, most employers consider
LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to be similar to a newspaper or online classified ads.
Despite being the 2nd most popular search engine in the US, employers mostly ignore
the role YouTube could play in their overall recruiting strategy. Blogging is virtually
unrecognized as a tool for establishing market/industry expertise and leadership.
An employer who includes a deliberate, compliant, and effective social media
component in their recruiting strategy could likely dominate the market, quickly create
the image of a “preferred employer”, and source qualified job-seeking candidates
before non-social savvy competitors knew those candidates are available for hire.