More than three in four adult job seekers in the U.S. prefer personal contacts when searching for work rather than just relying on technology, according to the results of a new American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor survey, conducted online by Harris Poll.
Personal Contacts Lead to Job Offers
Three of the top five ways job seekers land a job are “high touch,” according to the survey findings. Word of mouth is the most popular means (43%)—followed by job board websites and employer websites (both at 30%). Contacts or acquaintances with prospective employers (30%) and staffing and recruiting companies (25%) also rank high as resources that led to job offers.
Three in four (77%) actually prefer human interaction when searching for a job, according to the ASA Workforce Monitor.
Job Seekers Like Technology…Until It Gets Too Personal
Almost half of recent job seekers (46%) view the Web as the most helpful resource when looking for work, according to the survey results. Job seekers like the visibility that technology can offer when it comes to sharing their résumés (80%), but a majority feel uneasy about giving so much personal employment information to websites (61%), according to the ASA Workforce Monitor results.
Word of Mouth and Web Dominate Job Search Tools
The most popular tools job seekers use when looking for work are word of mouth (63%), job board websites (62%), and employer websites (60%). Other popular job-hunting tools are newspaper help wanted ads or job listings (52%), and contacts or acquaintances at prospective employers (48%). Four in 10 job seekers report using a staffing and recruiting company during the job hunt (42%).
“A combination of technology and personal contacts is the winning strategy while on the job hunt,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “Even with all of the recent advances in Web-based job sourcing, some things never change. Your network of friends, former colleagues, and family members still might be the key to your finding your ideal job.”
Method
Harris Poll conducted the survey online within the U.S. on behalf of ASA Dec. 22–28, 2015, among a total of 1,008 U.S. adults age 18 and older who have searched for a job in the past five years or plan to do so in the future. Results were weighted on age, education, race/ethnicity, household income, and geographic region where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the U.S. population.
Visit the ASA Workforce Monitor to learn more about the survey and to download high-resolution infographics on the results.
###
About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
About the ASA Workforce Monitor
The ASA Workforce Monitor is a periodic survey commissioned by ASA and conducted online by Harris Poll among 1,000 or more U.S. adults age 18 and older. The survey series focuses on current workforce trends and issues. For more information about the survey series, visit ASA Workforce Monitor.
The World Employment Confederation Outlines Policy Recommendations to Reduce Disparity Between Global Supply and Demand, Leading to Better Functioning Labor Markets More ›
The World Employment Confederation Outlines Policy Recommendations to Reduce Disparity Between Global Supply and Demand, Leading to Better Functioning Labor Markets More ›
Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association, was unanimously elected to the Jobs for America’s Graduates board of directors in late August. The JAG board is composed of 11 state governors (the largest number to serve on any board in the U.S.), national and state government leaders, national community leaders,… More ›
Sorry, the content you’ve selected is for members only. Maybe it’s time to join! Or if you’re already a member, please log in. Join today to get access to all ASA webinars and on-demand presentations. The ASA Resource Llibrary includes hundreds of presentations that members can view at their convenience and at no charge. Valuable webinars… More ›
The American Staffing Association and Jobs for America’s Graduates recently formalized a strategic educational and hiring partnership to help prepare at-risk youth from across the nation for their future roles in the workforce. Under the terms of the partnership, ASA will connect member staffing firms with JAG students to help enhance the students’ employability skills…. More ›
Sorry, the content you’ve selected is for members only. Maybe it’s time to join! Or if you’re already a member, please log in. Join today to get access to all ASA webinars and on-demand presentations. The ASA Resource Llibrary includes hundreds of presentations that members can view at their convenience and at no charge. Valuable webinars… More ›
Sorry, the content you’ve selected is for members only. Maybe it’s time to join! Or if you’re already a member, please log in. Join today to get access to all ASA webinars and on-demand presentations. The ASA Resource Llibrary includes hundreds of presentations that members can view at their convenience and at no charge. Valuable webinars… More ›
Sorry, the content you’ve selected is for members only. Maybe it’s time to join! Or if you’re already a member, please log in. Join today to get access to all ASA webinars and on-demand presentations. The ASA Resource Llibrary includes hundreds of presentations that members can view at their convenience and at no charge. Valuable webinars… More ›
Change. This one little word represents a situation that has the power to throw your life into the unknown. Some are terrified by change while others accept it, and still others boast that they love change. The fact is that change is necessary in growing companies. Staffing professionals don’t have to love it, but you… More ›
This ASAPro webinar will show you why teamwork and good communication are essential for a staffing firm to be able to recruit candidates, sell to prospects, and serve clients. Nothing can make those three actions come to a screeching halt faster than drama in the office. Drama, which distracts employees from their everyday work and… More ›
