Study: Digital recruiting changed the rules on candidates’ selection

Over half of Romanian HR specialists (51,5%) are checking Facebook profiles for candidates they consider in the first stages of recruiting process, a study on digital recruiting made, in April, by Rogalski Damaschin Public Relations and HR Manager shows.

84% recruiting specialists consider the information shared by candidates, what they comment and what photos they choose to share. Also, critics targeting former employers aren’t neglected, with a quarter of recruiters giving attention to this aspect, which can disqualify candidates from the start, as 26,7% HR specialists stated.

On the other hand, more than 40% of HR representatives are accessing the profiles on non-professional social networks (like Facebook and Twitter) no matter the position they are recruiting for, while only 20% of them are checking the social networks only for middle and top management.

According to the study, 79% of HR specialist are following the general aspect of Facebook and LinkedIN profiles during their candidates’ check process, proving this way that social networks became business cards for people looking for a job.

Google is also very important in the recruiting process, but only in the final stage of the recruiting process, with 70% of  employers checking the candidates they already interviewed. Only 30% HR specialists are checking Google’s results for candidates before calling them in for an interview

When it comes of LinkedIn, 44% employers are checking on this professional network not only the professional experience and recommendations from business partners, but also the type of info the candidates are sharing there, following the personality characteristics of the potential future employees. Moreover, LinkedIn is considered by 59% of HR specialists as a main channel for recruiting and one of the most relevant selection mediums by 50%.

The study was a qualitative one and was based on the answers of 65 HR specialists on a questionnaire conceived and implemented by Rogalski Damaschin PR and HR Manager. The study took place on April 22-27.

Rogalski Damaschin Public Relations is a Romanian agencies that runs its activity on the credo that the entire community can evolve through communication, in a period when public’s expectation from brands, companies and leaders get higher and higher. Agency’s mission is to create positive social and economic impact through ideas inspiring change for good. The agency is structured on 2 specialization areas: consumer PR, coordinated by Alina Damaschin as Creative Leader and corporate PR, coordinated by Eliza Rogalski as Strategy Leader.

HR Manager is the first professional magazine dedicated to Romania’s HR management and represents a source of information with technical and applied character on authority and competence in HR management