Job Hunting? Face-to-Face Trumps Online
Aida Ahmed, a KERA reporter and managing editor of The SMU Daily Mustang, reports on using social media to find a job.
By Aida Ahmed
KERA News
DALLAS, TX (KERA) - Social media like Facebook and LinkedIn are being used in ways many never imagined. How critical are they in finding a job? KERA's Aida Ahmed is an SMU student who will graduate and join the job hunt next Spring. She wanted to know just how far social media will take her in finding the perfect position. Here's what Aida found out.
This year, employers expect to hire 5% more new college graduates than they did in 2009. That's according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. But some still can't find a job.
That includes David Crawford, a Southern Methodist University student who's cranking out his last paper for the semester. He's been counting on his social media skills to land a job.
Crawford: The day after I graduated I started going online and researching and seeing what was available.
Crawfords' been using LinkedIn and SMU's online job search tool, MustangTRAK. He's also started following companies on Facebook and Twitter for possible job postings.
A recent student survey says that about 37% of college seniors say they use a social media profile in the job search. But less than 6% have ever been contacted by an employer through that profile. Crawford has experienced the same frustration.
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