Digital communication is changing everything, including unemployment. Yep, you heard that right. The economy might just be bustling back into business thanks to the rise in constant online communication. Last month, the unemployment rate was at its lowest it’s been since 2008, and according to Jobvite’s annual Recruiter Nation report, we have social media and interpersonal networking to thank.
Not only does the survey show how the job search is different in 2015 than it’s been in years, it also shows that the unemployment rate is still on the rise. Over one fourth of companies surveyed said they will be hiring around 100 people in the next year, and 69% of recruiters said they have increased their salary offers over the past year. It looks like this generation’s job offerings are looking more promising than the past.
Yet, there’s a new precedence set for these yuppies. As Elizabeth Segran from FastCompany.com explains, job recruiters are now heavily relying on relationships for finding the right candidate. First of all, job searches are now centered around who you know– networking, networking, networking. Jobvite’s report found that 78% of recruiters believe that personal referrals are the best source of quality hires. While networking has always been important, it has now become a necessity when looking for a job. Employees are now even praised for their networking capabilities. 40% of companies give out bonuses to employees who are able to bring the right candidate in for a job.
While knowing the right people continues to grow in necessity, a perfect GPA and cover letter are not. 60% of recruiters claimed that GPA and cover letter are the least important factors when choosing someone for a position. It’s no longer these concrete factors that will make or break your job search, but rather the relationships formed within and outside of the company.
These relationships include online relationships. The survey found that 56% of recruiters now find candidates through social media. While most might think that recruiters are scanning Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram just to get a feel for the candidate personally (though that is a factor), they are actually looking more for examples of potential work ethic. 74% of companies were concerned with how long a candidate worked at a previous job via his/her social media page, and 29% were searching for examples of written or design work on his/her page. Because of this new tactic, potential candidates must be more careful with what they post online, simply because if a recruiter sees a grammatical or spelling error, it could work against them in an interview.
In today’s world, online communication cannot be avoided, even when looking for a job. The millennial generation will have to learn that its Facebook profile is up for debate not just its undergraduate GPA. As digital communication continues to take over our personal lives, it’s continuing to slowly creep into our economy as well.
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