HiringSolved Research Report: Examining the challenges and opportunities companies face in the search for top job candidates in the U.S. in 2014.

THE NEW NORMAL IN HIRING AND JOB SEARCHING

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3

2014 RECRUITMENT FORECAST

With 2013 nearly in our rear-view, recruiting professionals are reflecting

on the state of an ever-evolving industry and asking, “What’s next?”

While job seekers are wondering what they can do to make them-

selves more attractive and visible potential hires, recruiters are still

looking for the best way to find and contact potential candidates.

In 2013, social media emerged as one of the most powerful tools

recruiting professionals have in their arsenal when searching for

top-tier talent. Without a doubt, outlets like Twitter and Facebook are

most revealing not only of a candidate’s career accomplishment, but

also their professional potential. It’s been reported over and over that

companies are now searching a candidate’s social media profile

when considering their next hire. But our research found that Americans

have yet to harness the potential of their social media profiles,

whether they are in the market for a career move or open to hearing

about new opportunities. In fact, only 20% of possible job-seekers

would tidy up their social media profiles if they knew they were being

searched by potential employers, and on the flip side, 71% of Americans

who have active social media profiles don’t include their job informa-

tion or professional work expertise—making them less findable.

In our research, which was conducted by YouGov in November 2013,

we found that only 27% of Americans are looking for a new job in 2014,

which means recruiters and hiring managers are will be in touch

competition for top talent in 2014. Fortunately for them, though,

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we also found that 75% of Americans would respond to recruiting

interest. In other words, many candidates now expect to be courted and

are no longer proactively chasing new positions, making

recruitment a lucrative endeavor.

That’s right – 2014 will continue to be the year of the “passive” or “subcon-

scious” candidate. With that, the idea of the traditional resume also becomes

obsolete. With this in mind, if recruiters want to find not only the best talent,

but the right talent to fill their company’s positions, then they must look

past antiquated hiring methods, and instead turn to where potential

candidates spend 3.2 hours per day: social media.

Our data, then, points to two main conclusions. First, social recruiting has

become “table stakes” as old-guard methods of job-filling are no longer

as effective. Second, job-seekers should acknowledge their social media

presences, and then use those presences to their advantages - making

them not only more searchable, but more findable.

Really, if there’s only one takeaway from our study of the current state

of hiring, it’s this: social media is currently the strongest tool available to

recruiters and job-seekers. Recruiters and candidates alike, take note.

Foreword by Shon Burton, Founder of HiringSolved

HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO CHANGE JOBS IN 2014?

4 0 %

3 5 %

3 0 %

2 5 %

2 0 %

1 5 %

1 0 %

5 %

0 %

I am definitely changing jobs

in 2014

I will highly likely be changing jobs

in 2014

I will likely change jobs

in 2014

I may look around spectatively at

other jobs in 2014

I don’t intend to change jobs

in 2014

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BY GENDER:

5 0 %

4 5 %

4 0 %

3 5 %

3 0 %

2 5 %

2 0 %

1 5 %

1 0 %

5 %

0 %

M A L E

F E M A L E

I am definitely changing jobs

in 2014

I will highly likely be changing jobs

in 2014

I will likely change jobs

in 2014

I may look around spectatively at

other jobs in 2014

I don’t intend to change jobs

in 2014

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BY EDUCATION:

6 0 %

5 0 %

4 0 %

3 0 %

2 0 %

1 0 %

0 %

P O S T G R A D

4 - Y E A R

S O M E C O L L E G E , 2 - Y E A R

N O H I G H S C H O O L , H I G H S C H O O L G R A D U A T E

I do not have a job and I am NOT planning

on getting a job in 2014

I do not have a job but I am planning on getting a job

in 2014

I don’t intend to change jobs in

2014

I may look around

speculatively at other jobs

in 2014

I will likely change jobs

in 2014

I will highly likely be

changing jobs in 2014

I am definitely changing jobs

in 2014

IF A COMPANY YOU WERE INTERESTED IN CONTACTED YOU ABOUT A POSSIBLE POSITION, WOULD YOU...

45%

30%

7%4%

M O S T L I K E L Y T O R E S P O N D

D E F I N I T E L YR E S P O N D

P R O B A B L YN O T R E S P O N D

D E F I N I T E L Y N O T R E S P O N D

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BY INCOME LEVEL:

6 0 %

5 0 %

4 0 %

3 0 %

2 0 %

1 0 %

0 %

M O R E T H A N $ 8 0 , 0 0 0

$ 4 0 , 0 0 0 - $ 8 0 , 0 0 0

U N D E R $ 4 0 , 0 0 0

Definitely not respond

Probably not respond

Most likely respond

Definitely respond

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HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND/GET YOUR NEXT JOB?

6 0 %

5 0 %

4 0 %

3 0 %

2 0 %

1 0 %

0 %

I will search job boards/advertise-

ments online

I will register with a recruiter/

headhunter and hope they find

me the right job

I would proactively go

after job opportunities on

social media

I expect headhunters to call

me off their own initiative, without

me registering with them HS

I will search jobs boards/advertise-

ments in my in-dustry magazine/

website

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR EXPERIENCE THE LAST TIME YOU USED A HEADHUNTER/RECRUITMENT AGENCY?

50%

35%

15%

I W O R K E D W I T H O N ER E C R U I T E R / H E A D H U N T I N GA G E N C Y

I W O R K E D W I T H T W OR E C R U I T E R S / H E A D H U N T I N G

A G E N C I E S

I W O R K E D W I T H T H R E E O R M O R ER E C R U I T E R S / H E A D H U N T I N G

A G E N C I E S

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WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS UPDATING YOUR RESUME?

4 0 %

3 5 %

3 0 %

2 5 %

2 0 %

1 5 %

1 0 %

5 %

0 %

I do it whenever I have a bad day

at work.

I only do it when I’m thinking of looking for a

new job.

I only do it when I’m actually looking for a

new job.

I update it once a year.

I update it at least once every couple

of years.

I never update my resume

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WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS YOUR PERSONAL PROFILES ON SOCIAL MEDIA (E.G., LINKEDIN, TWITTER, FACEBOOK)?

4 0 %

3 5 %

3 0 %

2 5 %

2 0 %

1 5 %

1 0 %

5 %

0 %

I would tidy them up so there is nothing obviously negative on

there that could turn a possible employer off

I would update them and start posting more about relevant

topics and stories so that possible employers can see

how interested I am in the area

I wouldn’t do anything differently on my social

media profiles

Not applicable, I do not have any personal profiles on

social media

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DO YOU INCLUDE YOUR JOB INFORMATION OR YOUR PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERTISE ON YOUR TWITTER OR FACEBOOK PROFILES?

4%

NO 71%

YES 29%

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( 4 0 9 ) 2 7 6 - 5 8 3 3S U P P O R T @ H I R I N G S O LV E D . C O M @ H I R I N G S O LV E D H I R I N G S O LV E D . C O M

Research Methodology

HiringSolved commissioned YouGov Plc to poll the views of a representative sample of 1,618 U.S. adults.

Reported results are from the 1,140 adults active in the labor market (excluding those who were retired or

permanently disabled). Fieldwork was undertaken between October 5-7, 2013. The figures have been weighted

and are representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+). The research was carried out online.