Those with IT jobs in Rhode Island need social media presence?

Posted on June 2, 2015

A new survey from Careerbuilder shows that people with IT jobs in Rhode Island may need a social media presence in order to get hired.

Hiring managers in information technology and financial services are the most likely to use social networks to screen candidates; retail had the lowest share.

• Information Technology: 76 percent
• Financial Services: 64 percent
• Sales: 61 percent
• Professional & Business Services: 54 percent
• Manufacturing: 49 percent
• Health Care: 49 percent
• Retail: 46 percent

Forty-eight percent of hiring managers who screen candidates via social networks said they’ve found information that caused them not to hire a candidate – down slightly from 51 percent last year. The following are the top pieces of content that turned off employers:

• Provocative or inappropriate photographs – 46 percent
• Information about candidate drinking or using drugs – 40 percent
• Candidate bad-mouthed previous company or fellow employee – 34 percent
• Poor communication skills – 30 percent
• Discriminatory comments related to race, religion, gender, etc. – 29 percent

About one-third (32 percent), however, found information that caused them to hire a candidate, including:

• Candidate’s background information supported job qualifications –42 percent
• Candidate’s personality came across as good fit with company culture – 38 percent
• Candidate’s site conveyed a professional image – 38 percent
• Candidate had great communication skills – 37 percent
• Candidate was creative – 36 percent

Fifty-two percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, up significantly from 43 percent last year and 39 percent in 2013.

More than one third of employers (35 percent) say they are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information about that person online.