After shortlisting candidates, HR directors increasingly turn to social media profiles for insights. Only 25% never review them before contacting or interviewing a candidate. In contrast, 50.5% do so regularly—with 39.5% checking often and 11% always. Recruiters prioritize professional platforms like LinkedIn and Viadeo but also examine personal profiles.
Unless restricted, your profiles, status updates, and cat videos are visible to everyone—including potential employers—shaping your public image. Limit access through Facebook settings, or log out and Google your name + "Facebook" to audit visibility. Even private profiles often expose profile photos and cover images to all users.
While HR directors review profiles after shortlisting, few recruit directly through social networks. 64.5% have never hired this way, though 15.5% have used Facebook or LinkedIn. Job seekers should not limit their efforts to these platforms.
This survey was conducted by an independent polling institute for Robert Half in July 2014 among 200 Human Resources Directors/Managers (HRDs) in France.
