RECRUITMENT THROUGH SOCIAL

MEDIA REPORT 2011

 RECRUITMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2011

INTRODUCTION

Are companies actually trawling social networks in search of the best-fit candidates? Which industries are using social
media to recruit staff the most? Inspired and intrigued by the sudden explosion of social media in recent years and its
growing presence in business applications, the ACHIEVE Group launched the Recruitment Through Social Media Report
2011 to investigate the emerging phenomenon of companies recruiting staff through social media networks such as
Facebook, LinkedIn and so on.

A leading group of search and recruitment firms in Singapore, the ACHIEVE Group comprises ACHIEVE Career
Consultant, ACHIEVE Technology Asia Pacific, ACHIEVE International Recruitment and JCG Search International.

Methodology

Key employment decision-makers of more than 500 companies were surveyed for the purpose of this report. Participants
are primarily executives, mainly human resource managers and directors, at multi-national firms and medium to large-
sized enterprises. Each respondent was personally interviewed over the phone by ACHIEVE¶V FRQVXOWDQWV. The
geographical scope is concentrated on Singapore so as to provide a uniquely local perspective. The predominant sectors
surveyed are as follows: Banking & Finance; Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals; IT & Telecommunications; Hospitality,
Retail & F&B; Shipping & Logistics; Industrial Manufacturing & Engineering; Oil & Gas; Professional Services and
Property & Construction.

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generation is characterised as being tech-savvy and heavily influenced by social media. As such, engaging
.
and even hiring them through social networks appear to be inevitable. Though this report is not specifically
focused on this demographic, it does shed light on the novel and interesting phenomenon of businesses
beginning to hire staff through the use of social media such as Facebook and the like. Certainly, there are
 
pros and cons to this practice. For businesses, it could translate to cost savings on the traditional process
of search and recruitment. We may be in the early stages of a trend and it will be interesting to see how this
pans out in the near IXWXUH´

- Joshua Yim, Founder and CEO, ACHIEVE Group

© ACHIEVE Group, March 2011

 RECRUITMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2011

REPORT 2011  

KEY FINDING

Out of the 504 companies surveyed, 10% of respondents have recently hired staff through social networking sites.

           Companies  that  have  Recruited  Staff  through  Social  Networking  Sites  

90%

Yes
No

10%
 

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Of the 10% who hire staff through networking sites, the top three sectors that engage this recruitment practice are
Professional Services (35%), IT & Telecommunications (21%) and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals (19%).

Overview of Sectors Hiring Through Social Networking Sites

2% Property  and  Construction

4% Oil  &  Gas

2%
19% 6%
Industrial,  Manufacturing  &  
Engineering
Shipping  &  Logistics
10%
Hospitality,  Retail  &  F&B
2%
21% Banking  &  Finance

Professional  Services

35% IT  &  Telecommunications

Healthcare  &  
Pharmaceuticals

© ACHIEVE Group, March 2011

 RECRUITMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2011

REPORT 2011  

 
PREFERRED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR RECRUITMENT
Survey participants were also polled on the types of social networks they use to look for potential employees. 48%
indicated that they hired employees predominantly through Facebook followed by LinkedIn with 42%. Twitter garnered
just 2% of the votes while other social media sites gathered a cumulative 8%.

Social  Networking  Sites  Popularity

50%
48%
40%
42%
30%
20%
10%
8%
0% 2%
Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Others

YEAR-ON-YEAR INCREASE
To determine whether recruiting through social media is indeed an emerging trend, this Report also polled participants
on the percentage increase in such hiring activity in 2010, compared with 2009. Of those that hire staff using social
media platforms, 25% of respondents stated an increasHRIµ/HVVWKDQ¶IURPRIFRPSDQLHVUHSRUWHGDULVH
RIµ- ¶DQGRIWKRVHVXUYH\HGVWDWHGDMXPSRIµ0RUHWKDQ¶

Compared with 2009, 2010 saw 52% of companies hiring staff through social networking sites have reported an increase
of 5%. 25% of companies have seen an increment of 5%-10% within the year and 22% of companies have noted an
Increase  in  Hiring  Activity  through  Social  Media  between  2009  and  2010  
increase of more than 11%.

Less  than  5% 25%

5%  -­‐ 10% 52%

More  than  11% 22%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

© ACHIEVE Group, March 2011

 RECRUITMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2011

REPORT 2011  

  CONTACT

ACHIEVE: 141 Market Street, #13-00 International Factors Building, Singapore 048944. Tel: (+65) 6323 0050 / Fax: (+65) 6323
3006. Email: admin@achievecareer.com / www.achievecareer.com

JCG SEARCH INTERNATIONAL: Singapore; Tel: (+65) 6323 0050 / Fax: (+65) 6323 3006. Email: sg_admin@jcgsearch.com /
www.jcgsearch.com. Hong Kong; email: hk_admin@jcgsearch.com / www.jcgsearch.com

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Wildfire Communications: Jamie Nonis, Managing Director. Tel: (+65) 9675 9717. Email:
jamie@wildfirecommunications.com.sg; Jayasri Prush, Account Executive. Tel: (+65) 9475 2456. Email:
jayasri@wildfirecommunications.com.sg

Since 1990, ACHIEVE Career Consultant has successfully provided fully integrated manpower services such as temporary, contract
and permanent recruitment and staffing solutions to multinational corporations and local conglomerates from different industries
within the Asia Pacific region. It also offers payroll and HR services.

ACHIEVE Technology Asia Pacific is a leading manpower solutions provider in specialised areas such as Engineering and
Information Technology. Since 1997, it has provided recruiting and staffing expertise underscored by a mission to bring great people
and great organisations together in industries such as Petroleum, Pharmaceutical, Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics, Research
and Development, Telecommunications, Facilities, Biotechnology, Petrochemical, Information Technology (IT), and many more.

ACHIEVE International Recruitment is a one-stop comprehensive foreign recruitment provider specialising in the placement of
qualified skilled, English speaking staff from various countries such as China, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam ± at no
recruitment fee incurred to the employer. Industries serviced include food & beverage, retail & hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing,
heavy engineering and industrial amongst others.

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headhunting exceptional talents for senior management and specialised key positions. Its services include advertised selection,
network search, database file search and systematic headhunting in the areas of high-tech manufacturing, semiconductor,
information technology, logistics, legal and regulatory, telecommunications, heavy industrial, property and healthcare.

© ACHIEVE Group, March 2011