Internet Recruiting

The score at halftime: Internet 51 Newspaper 5

Internet sources produced 51% of all hires last year, while newspaper classified ads generated just 5% of the new hires, according to a newly released study. The most popular Internet sources for new hires at leading U.S. companies were the following:

• Corporate Employment Web Sites (21%)
• General Job Boards (15%)
• Niche Job Boards: (6%)
• Social Network Web Sites (5%)
• Commercial Resume Databases (4%)

Employers reported that they find the highest quality candidates and receive the greatest return on their investment from the following two sources:

• their own corporate web sites
• employee referrals

Most notably, employers report they will significantly increase employment related spending in the following key areas:

• Corporate Employment Web Sites (74%)
• Employee Referrals (68%)
• Social Networking Technology (60%)

The trends are clear. If you are looking to upgrade your current job this year and do not have a presence on the Internet and do not have a network of professionals who can help refer you to opportunities, then you are at a competitive disadvantage.

The next several issues of Beantown Web will focus exclusively on this emerging trend of social networking and how you can utilize today's technology to maximize your potential for uncovering the business opportunities of tomorrow.

A press release of this report is available from DirectEmployers Association, a non-profit consortium of over 200 leading U.S. employers and operator of JobCentral.com. A more detailed summary, 2006 DirectEmployers Association Recruiting Trends, is also available in pdf format.