Australia is lagging behind New Zealand when it comes to joining the global shift to utilise social media in recruiting, according to a new survey.
Australian employers are lagging behind their New Zealand neighbours when it comes to joining in the global shift to utilise social media in recruitment according to a new survey.
The Kelly Services Global Workforce Index, an international survey of more than 120,000 employees in 31 countries, scrutinised the impact of social networks on job selection, career choice and recruitment in general.
While 38% of Australian respondents stated they were contacted about potential job opportunities via a social network, New Zealanders were slightly higher at 40%. In addition, 14% of Australian’s successfully secured their position, compared to 17% in NZ.
The survey also showed that 42% of Australian respondents ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that networking and social media sites are a good option for providing friends and colleagues with job referrals and opportunities, with NZ coming in at 47%.
Australia lags globally as well, with 57% open to receiving job referrals via their social network, as compared to a 63% average in NZ, which is on par with the global average.
And while many may assume that it is Gen Y leading the way when it comes to social media recruitment, results show a consistent pattern among all generations. Gen Y does lead with 18% of respondents attributing their new job in the previous year to social media, only slightly ahead of Gen X (16%) and Baby Boomers (16%).
“Social media in recruitment has altered the way people search for and communicate about work. Its emergence has opened up an abundance of connections where people are willing to share information, contacts, views, and alerts about prospective job opportunities,” Wendy Hewson, general manager – commercial at Kelly Services, said.
“As a job-search tool, it has reached a new level of maturity, with the use and acceptance of social media networks no longer confined to younger generations. It also makes the job-search exercise less a private pursuit and more of a shared experience. The power and the speed of this transformation is having a significant impact on recruiting techniques.”
The Kelly Services Global Workforce Index, an international survey of more than 120,000 employees in 31 countries, scrutinised the impact of social networks on job selection, career choice and recruitment in general.
While 38% of Australian respondents stated they were contacted about potential job opportunities via a social network, New Zealanders were slightly higher at 40%. In addition, 14% of Australian’s successfully secured their position, compared to 17% in NZ.
The survey also showed that 42% of Australian respondents ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that networking and social media sites are a good option for providing friends and colleagues with job referrals and opportunities, with NZ coming in at 47%.
Australia lags globally as well, with 57% open to receiving job referrals via their social network, as compared to a 63% average in NZ, which is on par with the global average.
And while many may assume that it is Gen Y leading the way when it comes to social media recruitment, results show a consistent pattern among all generations. Gen Y does lead with 18% of respondents attributing their new job in the previous year to social media, only slightly ahead of Gen X (16%) and Baby Boomers (16%).
“Social media in recruitment has altered the way people search for and communicate about work. Its emergence has opened up an abundance of connections where people are willing to share information, contacts, views, and alerts about prospective job opportunities,” Wendy Hewson, general manager – commercial at Kelly Services, said.
“As a job-search tool, it has reached a new level of maturity, with the use and acceptance of social media networks no longer confined to younger generations. It also makes the job-search exercise less a private pursuit and more of a shared experience. The power and the speed of this transformation is having a significant impact on recruiting techniques.”
