Hays Czech Republic conducted a survey among job applicants to find out their views on he professional social networks, in particular the benefits of the use of Linkedin. At the end of 2012, the HR consulting company prepared a survey that was answered by 500 respondents.
The attitude to the use of professional networks varies by the industry the candidates come from. Linkedin is the most common thing for specialists in the field of Technology (IT, Telco, Engineering, Construction and Property), Office Support (mainly employees in the field of human resources), and Business Services (employees of shared services centers who can speak more languages).
The addressed Office Support employees have never been offered a job via Linkedin. On the contrary, the employees of shared service centers have been offered a job this way in 80% percent of the cases.
The candidates don't consider it appropriate to address a potential employer via Linkedin. They use HR consulting companies, personal contacts or job boards to address employers.
However, if they are approached by a potential employer, they try to respond positively.
What could be a weakness of the Linkedin professional network is the fact that most of the respondents admitted updating their profiles irregularly. Information we can see in the individual profiles, therefore, does not have to correspond to reality. Some candidates have established multiple profiles, some are not presenting their current roles or employers. The experience of Hays Czech Republic suggests that the biggest malady is that candidates don't end their employment on Linkedin. If they update their profiles regularly, they can receive adequate offers.
Additional options such as group discussions, surveys or participation in conferences is used by a very small number of users.
People in the Czech Republic are starting to use other social networks such as Twitter, Facebook or Xing to search for jobs, too.
| Question | Accountancy & Finance | Business Services | Life Sciences | Office Support | Sales & Marketing | Technology |
| Do you have a profile on the LinkedIn professional network ? | Yes 66.7% | Yes 100% | Yes 62.5% | Yes 80% | Yes 72.5% | Yes 79.2% |
| Do you consider the professional social network useful? | Yes, for job search 50% | Yes, for job search and career growth 40% | Yes, for job search 39.7% | No 80% | Yes, for job search 37.5% | Yes, to contact former colleagues 40.7% |
| Have you ever been offered a job via Linkedin? | No 60.5% | Yes 80% | Yes 53.9% | No 100% | No 52.5% | Yes 54.5% |
| Have you ever approached a potential employer using Linkedin? | No 72.1% | No 60% | No 61.2% | No 80% | No 69.2% | No 65.5% |
| If you were looking a job, what method would you choose? | Recruitment agency with profes.soc. network 58.1% | Recruitment agency with profes.soc. network 80% | Recruitment agency with profes.soc. network 59.8% | Recruitment agency 80% | Recruitment agency with profes.soc. network 60% | Recruitment agency with profes.soc. network 56.8% |
| How often do you update your profile? | Irregularly 81.6% | Once a month 60% | Irregularly 85.5% | Irregularly 100% | Irregularly 87.5% | Irregularly 83% |
| Are you an active user of Linkedin groups? | Inactive 79.1% | Active 60% | Inactive 82.9% | Inactive 100% | Inactive 63.2% | Inactive 73.2% |
| How do you react to being addressed via Linkedin? | Positively, I try to respond 82.5% | Positively, I try to respond 80% | Positively, I try to respond 83.6% | Negatively, I ignore reactions 40% | Positively, I try to respond 88.9% | Positively, I try to respond to 85% |