Looking for a Job? If You’re Not Using Social Media, You Should Be

London, ON—Canadian companies are increasingly using social media to find new employees, according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. 

More than 1 in 3 companies (36%) say social media is one of the best ways to find job seekers, as social media has become an important way for employers and job seekers to find one another and connect.

Finding candidates isn’t the only way companies are using social media. Two-thirds of Canadian companies (65%) say they use social media to screen job applicants and say it’s an effective screening method (64%). Of those employers who use social media to screen applicants, 41% report finding content on a job candidate’s social media that caused the hiring manager not to employ them.

Interestingly, job seekers appear concerned about how social media impacts their hiring prospects. A recent study of job seekers revealed that more than half (61%) feel a candidate’s social media profile(s) should not influence their likelihood of being hired. 

It may be reassuring for job seekers to know that more than half of Canadian hiring managers (59%) report they have never found content on a social media site that caused them not to hire a candidate.

“Be aware that employers may use social media to gain a better understanding of your personality, work habits, and values, so they can assess whether they align with the company's values and culture,” said Sonia Hota, Digital Marketing Specialist for the London and Kitchener Express franchise offices. “Be sure your profile is up-to-date and avoid posting any controversial or offensive content. Take the time to build your professional network by engaging with brands in your industry in a thoughtful and strategic way. It’s important to thoroughly research these companies before connecting with them to build good relationships with potential employers.” 

Despite the potential pitfalls, a professional digital presence can aid employees’ careers if curated in the right way. 

“Since hiring managers say they are using social media to source candidates, make your profiles ones that highlight your expertise and experience to stand out from the competition,” Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. “It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking your personal and private lives should be separate, but this survey shows employers might not feel the same way.”

Survey Methodology

The Job Insights survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, 2022, among 506 Canadian hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in Canada who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 4.6 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. 

The omnibus survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Dec. 13-15, 2022, among 1,050 adults ages 18 and older. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income and propensity to be online, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 3.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

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About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 579,000 people globally in 2022 and more than 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com/CA.

The London Express office is located at 300 Dundas Street, Suite 200, and serves the London, Middlesex, St. Thomas, Strathroy, Stratford, Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg, and Southwestern Ontario. Local businesses and applicants are encouraged to visit https://expresspros.com/london/ or call (519)672-7620.

About Bill Stoller 

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment  

International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.