Students and graduates want arms-length networking

Students want to write the rules when it comes to having an online dialogue with employers. That’s the message that came from a recent TARGETjobs’ social media survey of nearly 1,500 students and graduates.

While over half were neutral towards employers using social networks, most suggested that they would prefer not to have any interaction. Summing it up, one respondent said, ‘I'm fine with employers being active in social media to be approachable. However, I do not like them snooping on my private life.’

The majority of respondents didn’t want to be contacted more than once a day. Although most have received careers content from employers, most did not want to interact. Email was by far the preferred method of communication for receiving information, with 76% of respondents saying they would prefer employers use this option.

For most, social networking is still just a marketing tool. However, even there some respondents were not satisfied. ‘Employers that have a Facebook page often make one to announce that applications are open,’ said one respondent: ‘They are not maintained, and no-one responds to questions.’

One of the main issues for many respondents was one of privacy. They felt that social networks such as Facebook were the wrong sphere for companies to get involved in. ‘I think Facebook is used too casually for it to be involved in future careers,’ said one respondent.

Most companies appreciate job hunters’ concerns over online privacy. We spoke to a number of graduate recruiters who stood up for candidates’ rights. The reality is that most employers simply don’t have the time to screen every applicant across multiple social networks.

According to Chris Phillips, director of publishing at TARGETjobs, ‘Students spend large parts of their week on Facebook. Their future employers therefore have to target students in the online spaces that they inhabit so regularly. Students are savvy enough to expect this – and they’re happy enough if it’s mostly about communication. What they don’t want is intrusion and interaction. It’s a personal not a professional medium.’

Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Wednesday 1st August 2012